The Ways of the Saiyans
by NansJns
Summary: In a desperate bid to keep his son out of Frieza's clutches, King Vegeta has the five-year-old prince smuggled to a distant world to be hidden. There, Vegeta grows up surrounded by love, understanding,...and music. But the best laid plans can go awry...
1. Default Chapter

Greetings, one and all! This is an A/U, just so you know right up front. I read and like a lot of A/Us, and I've noticed something - while the attitudes of most of the characters varied by various degrees in each of them, Vegeta's personality always remained basically the same. That got me thinking, and now, here we are!  
  
DBZ belongs to various people, like Akira Toriyama-san and FUNimation and others, none of whom are me. I'm making no money off this, I'm just having fun and (hopefully) entertaining others. If you have a problem with that, you can write to me at Bitemeweenie@aol.com (j/k)!  
  
Thanks for the beta-ing, Holly! **************************************************************************** ** The Ways of the Saiyans by NansJns  
  
Chapter 1: The Last Night of Kukatoh  
  
The Saiyan cities were quiet beneath the burning sun as it sank slowly toward the horizon, painting the sky brilliant colors of red, gold, and blue as it went. The streets beneath the hot sun were empty and scorching, and all of the doors and windows on all of the buildings were shut. To an outsider, it would almost look as though every city and village on the planet had been abandoned. Even the great Royal Palace looked deserted from the outside. From within the buildings, however, soft voices could be heard whispering prayers and chants. Once the sun had finally vanished below the horizon, five figures emerged from various buildings in each of the numerous cities, including from the Palace, and flew over to tall towers near the center of all of the cities, as faces full of anticipation began appearing in windows. Landing on the top floor of the old stone towers, they walked up to the massive, gold, ball-shaped bell that hung there, and two grabbed hold of the gold rod next to the bell and swung it forward. The rod struck the side of the great bell and released a loud, clear sound that could be heard throughout the entire city.  
BONG. . .BONG. . .BONG. . .BONG. . .BONG. . . .  
As the fifth note echoed out, every house flung open its doors and the people flooded out into the streets, laughing and talking in excitement. Most wore traditional clothes, though some just wore their armor or street clothes, but everyone had smaller versions of the great bell attached somewhere to their clothing and/or around their wrists and necks; some even had bells on their tails. Several women had some of the rare flowers that bloomed only at this time of year adorning their hair or on their clothes by the bells.  
"Finally! The last day is always the longest!"  
"Meditating and praying all day I can handle; but the fasting is such a pain. . ."  
"I'd rather be inside and hungry than going out for food at this time of year!"  
"Mama, it's still really hot!"  
"It'll cool down soon, don't worry!"  
"How long until the food stands open?"  
"Give them a minute!"  
"I'm not dancing until I get something to eat!"  
"Hear, hear!"  
"The Children's Dance will be soon, so we'd better hurry. . ."  
The crowd chattered happily as they filled the streets, seeking release for the energy they'd been forced to bottle up all day. A large ki ball exploding overhead like a brilliant firework made the crowd fall silent and all eyes turned to the huge vid-screens that were attached to various buildings. The screen blinked to life and was filled with a live shot of the Royal Family, dressed in their finest ceremonial garments, and wearing their sun medallions and crowns, which were gold bands around their heads with round, red stones in the middle of their foreheads. The Prince, who was only five years old, stood between his parents, his lips pressed tightly shut in an effort not to laugh. The crowds cheered lustily at the sight of their Rulers, until King Vegeta raised his hand for silence.  
"Good Evening to you all on this, the last evening of Kukatoh!" he said in his loud, booming baritone. The crowd cheered again, then fell silent. "The five days of Kukatoh are the most sacred in the Saiyan calendar! We have spent two days honoring the great warriors of the past, two days honoring the great warriors amongst us now, and now, on this last day, we give hope and prayers for our great warriors of the future!" The crowd erupted in cheers yet again, and the King and Queen had to wait a moment for it all to die down. When it was silent again, the Queen spoke.  
"Kukatoh is our word for strength, pride, and honor, and that is what these days are for. This evening we shall honor the promising warriors amongst our children, and they shall hold their heads up with pride and show their strength in dance! The Children's Dance shall be held in one hour's time, so bring all our children forward soon! Kukatoh! Strength, Pride, and Honor!" Queen Lesessu declared in her strong, clear voice. She was shorter than her husband, but still tall by most standards, with a lean build, narrow dark brown eyes, long black hair tied back with a gold clip, tanned skin, and her lips were painted red.  
"STRENGTH, PRIDE, AND HONOR!" voices echoed the words across Vegeta- sei. Due to the time difference, half the planet had already had the last day of Kukatoh, but they still watched the Royal Speech and cheered all the same. On the side of the planet that was still celebrating, things came fully to life. Brightly colored lights lit up the streets, music began playing, and the stalls all opened, selling everything from food to jewelry to keepsakes. The crowd began chattering again as they celebrated the last night of the holiday.  
"The music is starting for a Mates' Dance! Ooh, let's join them!"  
"I don't know the song well enough to sing along. . ."  
"It'll be fine!"  
"I can't wait to see the Prince in the Children's Dance!"  
"Did you hear the rumor that Lord Frieza wants to train the Prince himself?"  
"I'd sooner have the Prince never see another combative move again than have him under that awful creature's tutelage!"  
"Hush! Not so loud!"  
"Relax! There aren't any of his lackeys around now! They always leave in droves at this time of year because of the heat, and even if they didn't, the King would order them to leave during Kukatoh!"  
"Let's not worry about all of that! Let's just dance, eat, drink, and have a good time! I'm sure our King and Queen wouldn't give the Prince over, anyway!"  
"Agreed! Let's enjoy the day!"  
As music and dancing filled the streets, the third-class squad leader Bardock and his mate, Okarana, were working their way through the crowd with their young son Raditz in tow.  
"But I don't want to dance in front of everyone!" Raditz wailed as he struggled against his father's grip on his small wrist.  
"It's tradition, Raditz. Don't worry, you'll be fine," Bardock answered calmly.  
"But I don't know all the steps!" Raditz objected.  
"Neither do most of the children your age. It'll be okay, Raditz. No one expects you to do it perfectly," Okarana said. "If anyone should be nervous, it's the Prince! He has a special part in the dance and he does have to know all the steps!"  
"But-!" Raditz tried again.  
"No more 'buts'! You're behaving as if it's torture, instead of a simple dance!" Bardock cut him off.  
"Says you it's not torture," Raditz muttered unhappily under his breath. Then, louder, "I did the dance last year! Do I hafta-?"  
"Yes, you have to do it again. Raditz, it's not just the tradition, the dance is a symbol of hope for success in your training. And it only lasts ten minutes!" Okarana said firmly. Raditz fell silent, sulking unhappily. A sweet smell wafted under his nose, and his parents suddenly stopped. He looked up to see them looking at something through the crowd.  
"Would a piece of pape nut cake topped with a slice of hokani fruit and whipped cream improve your mood?" Bardock asked casually, his eyes on the nearby table covered in plates of the special holiday treat. Raditz's eyes lit up.  
"Yeah!" he said enthusiastically.  
"That table's selling roasted kumber meat, too; let's get some of that," Okarana said, eyeing the food hungrily.  
"We've got enough time, let's go," Bardock said, and they all headed to the booth selling food.  
"And can I have a glass of hokani juice, too?" Raditz asked excitedly, his little voice almost a squeak as they came up to the booth and Bardock bought them each some roast, bread, and a piece of cake.  
"In a bit," Okarana answered as she took her snack from Bardock. "Right now, you should stick to water. You can have juice after the dance."  
"Okay," Raditz sighed as he accepted the food from his father. He devoured the meat and bread and most of all the delicious treat quickly, smearing the whipped cream onto his face. As he happily licked the cream off his face and fingers one-by-one, he glanced toward the distant outline of the Palace and wondered if the Prince was worried about the dance at all.  
  
Prince Vegeta was practicing his part of the Children's Dance in front of his mother, while his father spoke quietly to one side with four of his advisors. Little Vegeta's attention kept sliding away from his steps to the feast he knew was being made in the kitchens. He could smell the wonderful aromas of meats, vegetables, breads, and most of all the desserts being prepared. As was the tradition, all he'd had to eat that day was a little piece of bread around midday, and his small stomach was grumbling loudly for what he smelled.  
"Momma, can't I have something to eat before the dance?" he asked, stopping in mid-step.  
"Yes, of course, Vegeta. After you show me you know all your steps for the Children's Dance. Your part is very important, and you must know all of the steps," Queen Lesessu answered gently. "Now, continue." Prince Vegeta sighed and picked up again where he left off. He glanced briefly to his father and wondered what he was talking about.  
"Your Majesty, surely there must be a way to stop this!" one advisor, an older Saiyan with graying hair, whispered. "We can't just hand over the Prince to that monster!"  
"Don't you think I know that?! But what choice do I have? I haven't the power to refuse Frieza! If I try, he'll simply kill me, and possibly Lesessu, and take the Prince!" King Vegeta answered hotly.  
"There must be some way. . ." a second advisor said.  
"If there is, I don't know it," the King said with a heavy sigh. He looked over his shoulder to his small son, his eyes flickering with emotion. "I'm assigning General Nappa to Vegeta as his personal guard. Nappa has strict instructions to keep a close watch on the Prince, and to help him remember who he really is. That's all I can do," King Vegeta said quietly as little Prince Vegeta completed his practice. A proud Lesessu was complimenting her son for remembering all the steps as King Vegeta turned his eyes back to his advisors. "I will continue trying to persuade Frieza not to keep him for long, but I doubt it will help."  
"Can't you at least buy a little more time? Giving Frieza Prince Vegeta immediately after Kukatoh is. . .is unthinkable! The day after the holiday is traditionally set aside for inner reflection and rest, given that the festivities themselves are quite exhausting!" the third advisor said, also glancing toward the Queen and Prince.  
"I _know_!" King Vegeta snapped, louder than he intended. His wife and son looked at him curiously, and he gave a small wave and a half- hearted smile to indicate that things were okay. Once their attention was on each other again, he turned back to his advisors and continued in an angry whisper, "I know full well that he shouldn't be going anywhere tomorrow, but that's when Frieza's coming for him! I was barely able to convince that ice-cold bastard to wait until _after_ Kukatoh! I don't like this situation anymore than you do, but we have no choice!" The advisors grumbled unhappily, but could say no more. A servant stepped in then to say the royal feast was ready. Prince Vegeta took off running for the dining room as King Vegeta took his wife's hand and they walked together after their son.  
"Our beautiful little boy. . .what will Frieza do to him?" Lesessu sighed quietly, leaning into her husband.  
"Don't you start in on me as well, woman! I _can't_ refuse Frieza!" King Vegeta hissed.  
"I know that, Beloved. But I'm afraid. . .afraid of what he'll become under Frieza's influence. Vegeta holds the best promise to become the next Super Saiyan; he could free us of that monster forever, but not if Frieza brainwashes him first," Lesessu answered. They had reached the dining room and proceeded to take their seats. King Vegeta had no ready answer for his mate. In silence, his dark eyes watched his son eat his dinner, while his mind whirled with what the next day would bring.  
  
In every city, dozens of children between the ages of four and seventeen were brought together in wide, open areas reserved for fighting and/or dancing (depending on the time of year), and directed to form several concentric circles, with the youngest children ringing the outside and the oldest near the center. In Sutarufurai Square in the Central City, Prince Vegeta stood in the very center of it all, on a raised platform so that everyone would be able to see him. His live image was broadcast on vid screens all across the world. All of the small children were nervous and fidgety, and the oldest ones were grumbling unhappily at the embarrassment they felt this dance brought on them. The watchers stood five feet back from the rings of dancers, with the King and Queen sitting in chairs on a raised platform in the middle of the crowd. To one side, a group of men and women sat with instruments in hand. As the last few children were pushed and/or pulled forward by teachers and parents, the band began to play. The children began dancing, the smaller ones with shuffling, unsure feet, the older ones with practiced ease. They danced for over a minute as the music swelled, accompanied by the jingling of the bells on their clothes and the rhythm of their stamping feet and clapping hands. Then they began to sing, a gentle, strong tune that the crowd began to pick up and sing as well:  
  
"Kukatoh, strength, honor, and pride  
  
These things we always carry inside The way may be dark, the path unclear But never give way to doubt and fear Just remember this word when you're alone And it will always lead you home..."  
Little Prince Vegeta listened carefully, waiting for his cue. When he heard the tell-tale words, he began his part of the Children's Dance. In the very center of the dancers, he began performing his steps, just as he had earlier in front of his mother. The music began to speed up, and so did the dancers. Vegeta's steps and leaps became bigger and higher, and he made his ki flare to leave streaks of light behind him. Ring by ring, the other children fell into the same steps, following his lead. Soon, the square was filled with ki light, and the music began building for the finish. Prince Vegeta moved through his steps, his little face tight with concentration, his ears trained on the music and singing. The children moved through the dance until finally, the music came to an end and they performed the final maneuver. All of them fired a ki beam to one spot in the night sky so they all collided and created a beautiful explosion of blue and silver. The watching crowd cheered and clapped, and the children sighed in relief that the obligatory dance was over. Shouting and laughing, they scattered into the crowd, ready to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening. There were games to play, contests to enter, normal dances in which to participate, gifts to get and, especially, lots of treats to eat. The joyous celebration went well into the night, the Saiyans honoring their children with great abandon.  
  
It was late when the festivities came to an end and Prince Vegeta finally went to bed that night, but just over an hour later he was awake again and called for a servant to bring him a glass of water. The ningen woman bowed respectfully and went to the kitchens to fetch him his drink. As she stepped into the kitchen, another servant looked up with an amused smile.  
"Prince Vegeta wants his water, I assume?" the kitchen worker asked.  
"Yes, indeed! He's regular as clockwork at this time of year, isn't he?" the ningen women answered with a smile.  
"Just about. But who can blame him? It's so hot and dry during these four months; everyone wants extra water," the kitchen servant said as she filled a glass with cold water. "Here you are, fresh for the Prince," she said as she started to hand the glass to the other female.  
"I'll take it to him," a baritone voice cut in, and a large male hand took the glass from the kitchen servant. The two turned and stared at King Vegeta, who stood a foot away and was holding a second glass of water for himself. Both women bowed quickly.  
"As you wish, Your Majesty!" they said in unison. Neither servant was quite sure why the King wanted to do it, or why he came down himself for some water, or even why he was still fully dressed, but neither was willing to question him. The King left the room with a whip of his cape, and a strange, far away look on his face.  
Prince Vegeta sat up quickly when he heard his door open. "Do you have my water?" he asked quickly, and then saw it wasn't the servant woman he'd sent to the kitchens. "Papa?"  
"Yes, son. I have your drink with me. I happened to be down there getting some water of my own, and just. . .decided I'd bring your glass to you," King Vegeta answered gently, walking up to his small son's bed and handing him the glass. Prince Vegeta was a bit bewildered, but he wasn't going to ask questions. Besides, he was really thirsty. He took the glass and drank it down in three large gulps.  
"Thank you, Papa," Vegeta said as he wiped his mouth on the back of his little hand. Then he yawned a little. The King shifted uncomfortably.  
"You're. . .welcome, Vegeta," the King answered. "You. . .you did very well in the dance tonight. I'm proud." Prince Vegeta blinked and tilted his head a little. His father was acting strangely.  
"Thank you. . ." he said again. Then he yawned again, only bigger. He felt sleepy. Much sleepier than normal. His whole body felt warm and heavy, his mind was getting fuzzy, and his eyes were falling closed. He slumped back into his bed, thinking to himself that something felt very funny. Assured that the Prince was deeply asleep, the King whispered a soft prayer for forgiveness. He gathered his son into his arms, pulled his cape over him and, after making sure the hallway was empty, quickly and quietly left the room.  
  
Supinchu was one of the most elite guards in the palace and had traveled farther than any of the others. He was very tall, close in height to Nappa, the head General. His black, shoulder-length hair spiked widely to the sides, and his black eyes were rounded and narrow. He was accustomed to his King and Queen giving him special duties, but why would either of them want to see him in the middle of the night, on the last night of Kukatoh, in an empty, extra room of the palace? It was all very irregular, but the royal family trusted him and his ability to be discrete, so he waited. The door finally opened and the King stepped in with his cape wrapped tightly around him. Supinchu bowed automatically, but his eyes stayed lifted towards his monarch, his curiosity overwhelming him.  
"Good evening, my King. May I ask why you have requested such a late meeting?" Supinchu asked in his most formal voice.  
"You may. Supinchu, you are one of my most trustworthy guards, and you've traveled the galaxy far and wide. Tell me, truly, is there any world where one could hide from Lord Frieza?" King Vegeta answered, and Supinchu straightened up in surprise.  
"Hide from Lord Frieza? Well. . ." Supinchu went through his memories, searching for any such place. "Well, yes, there is _one_ place; a small, distant world half the galaxy away that he all but ignores completely. It only has one thing of value to him, but various complications, including the world's extreme distance, makes it difficult for him to get it. . .the world of. . ."  
"Don't tell me the name!" King Vegeta cut him off, which caused Supinchu to look even more confused. "Supinchu, I'm entrusting you now with the greatest treasure of our Empire," the King said, this time quietly, as he pulled back his cape to reveal the sleeping prince cradled in his arm, his little head resting on his father's shoulder. Supinchu jerked back in shock at the sight.  
"You Majesty, what-?!" Supinchu gasped.  
"I want you to take the Prince to that small, distant world, and hide him there. Put him amongst the people Frieza would be least likely to suspect!" the King said, his voice stone. "I've given him a sedative, so he'll sleep solidly until he arrives there. I've also packed some learning materials, so he'll never forget who he really is!" King Vegeta held up a full, medium-sized bag from his belt.  
"King Vegeta, you can't be serious! Why-?!" Supinchu tried again.  
"Better he stay with ningen strangers than be raised and trained by that monster, Frieza!" King Vegeta answered harshly. "I can't let that tyrant have my son, do you understand?" Supinchu swallowed nervously and nodded.  
"I understand, Your Majesty. Perfectly. And I'm sure he'll be safe on-"  
"No! I told you before, don't tell me! Never tell me! What I don't know, Frieza can't force me to tell him," the King snapped. The Prince stirred for a moment at the sound of his father's anxious voice, then fell still again. "You will take him now. I've made sure the launching bay is empty, no one will see you leave. In the morning, when Frieza comes, I will announce that the Prince was somehow kidnapped out of his room. I'll keep everyone busy looking for him on-planet in order to buy you as much time as I can. Once the Prince is safely hidden, you must come back with all haste to Vegeta-sei. If anyone questions your absence, I will tell them that you were simply sent on a diplomatic mission on my behalf; you can create your own details for it. Now, go," King Vegeta said, and handed the sleeping child to the guard. Supinchu gathered the Prince and the bag, and looked at his King once more.  
"I will do as you command, King Vegeta. I swear on my honor, the Prince will be safe. I will return as soon as I can," Supinchu said, bowing one last time before leaving quickly with his precious cargo. The King watched him depart and his heart clenched tight. ((May Kami. . .and Lesessu. . .forgive me. When she hears he's disappeared, she'll be frantic! My little son, wherever it is he's taking you, may you be safe there, and grow strong. I swear, this was the only way!)) he agonized to himself. With a weighty heart, he turned and left the room to return to his bed chambers and sleeping mate.  
  
Supinchu climbed into the special space pod with the Prince and quickly punched in the target coordinates for the planet. He glanced briefly down at his sleeping charge, and drew in a slow breath. ((Don't worry, Your Highness! I know a family there who'll be able to take good care of you and hide you away from Frieza at the same time.)) he promised mentally, and then hit the launch button. The pod whirred to life, swiftly lifted off the pad, and flew into space.  
"Coordinates set," the female-sounding computer said. "FTL engines engaged. Approximate travel time: 6 weeks. Stasis setting: medium. Destination: Planet Mikusubodo. All information correct?"  
"Yes. Activate stasis in three minutes," Supinchu said, as he fitted an oxygen mask over the prince's face. He didn't dare risk mixing the sedative already in the prince's blood with the stasis gases, the combination could prove fatal. He quickly programmed the computer to have a second round of the gas go through the mask should its wearer start to wake, and a few moments later, the sleeping vapors filled the small pod. ((May Kami smile on us both, young Prince.)) the elite guard prayed before he fell asleep.  
  
**************************************************************************** ** Hehheh! Betcha thought I was sending him to Earth, huh?? Nope! He's going to somewhere else entirely! And yes, there is a pun in the planet's name, but I'll tell you it later (don't wanna spoil the surprise!).  
  
Other fun puns: Kukatoh= a combo of sounds from cucumber, carrot, and tomato. Lesessu= a play on lettuce. Sutarufurai= a play on stir-fry. (Yes, I am evil. Why do you ask?) Kumber= a play on cucumber. Supinchu=a play on spinach.  
  
FTL= Faster Than Light. That's why this pod is special, it's really, really, really fast! Also, I got the design of the royal crowns from some fan art I've seen. I didn't think the artist would mind. Thanks, Gwendy! 


	2. WaySaiyans2

DBZ don't belong to me! I'm making no money!  
  
**************************************************************************** ** The Ways of the Saiyans by NansJns  
  
Chapter 2 - A New Home  
  
King Vegeta met Frieza's red eyes evenly, with a calm face, though one hand balled into a fist at his side. Frieza's shiny black lips were bent in a cruel smile and the tip of his long, thick lizard's tail twitched behind him with pleasure. His right- and left-hand men, Zarbon and Dodoria, stood a few feet behind him, the blue-skinned pretty boy looking a little bored, and the ugly, pink puffer fish looking amused by the King's discomfort.  
"Good Morning, King Vegeta! As always, it's good to see you! I trust you had a pleasant holiday?" Frieza all but purred in his most affectedly polite voice.  
"Yes. This year's celebration of Kukatoh was. . .magnificent," King Vegeta said, his face still calm.  
"So glad to hear it. You know, one of these years I really must come by and see these festivities for myself!" Frieza said, his smile widening, and King Vegeta's eyes flashed for a moment, as did the eyes of every Saiyan in the room. His beloved mate stood a few steps behind him, her face barely hiding her disgust and disdain.  
"Normally, we'd be honored, Lord Frieza, but. . ." King Vegeta forced the words past a clenched jaw.  
"Yes, yes, this silly tradition of yours that says only Saiyans may be present for Kukatoh. Really, Vegeta, why bother? What possible difference could it make?" Frieza answered, quietly reveling in making the King feel worse. It was always very pleasing to watch a mighty warrior squirm before him. "Anyway, that's hardly why I'm here," Frieza continued before the King could speak.  
"Can't you wait one more day? The Prince needs to rest, it's been a very tiring week," Lesessu cut in, her body tense with her desire not to see her son go with this monster.  
"I've waited quite long enough! I want the Prince turned over to me, now!" Frieza replied, his polite demeanor slipping.  
"Very well!" King Vegeta growled. He then turned his head to a nearby servant. "Wake the Prince up and get him dressed," he ordered, and the man scurried away quickly to the Prince's room. ((The time has come. . .)) King Vegeta thought to himself. Several tense minutes later, the servant came running back in, his face pale with terror.  
"The Prince is gone!!" The servant cried out as he stumbled to a halt before his King.  
"Gone?!" all present echoed in disbelief.  
"His room is in shambles and he's no where to be found! No one's seen him since last night!" the man added quickly. After he'd secreted his son to safety, the King had gone back and carefully wrecked the room to make it look like there had been a struggle.  
"What?!" King Vegeta bellowed and ran to his son's room with his wife at his heels. Upon entering the room, they all looked about at the broken furniture and window. Then King Vegeta turned to the guards. "Find him! Search the palace, the city; the whole damn world if you have to, but find him! Whoever took him will die!"  
"'Took' him? You think he was kidnapped, Vegeta?" Frieza asked, his voice low and cold. His normally pale face had become dark and angry, colored with the loss of his promised prize.  
"That, or he's hiding somewhere! But why would he wreck his own room?" Vegeta answered. He could feel the swell of terror coming from his mate and knew she was going to explode in a second.  
"How could this happen?! How could someone break in here and just take him?!" she shrilled in alarm. Then she turned her blazing eyes towards Frieza. "It would take someone more powerful than a Saiyan to abduct him by force!" Frieza scowled at her and her implied accusation.  
"In the first place, if _I_ or one of my men had taken him, I wouldn't be here asking for him, now would I?" Frieza said coolly. "And, in the second place, why would I bother, knowing that you were going to give him to me?"  
An hour later, it was determined that the Prince wasn't to be found anywhere in the city, so the King made a live world-wide broadcast to denounce the Prince's kidnapping. The news sent the entire Saiyan population into an uproar, initiating what would become a long search for the missing prince.  
  
Supinchu's pod landed in the springy receiving platform with a dull thump. The platform bounced up lightly once, then fell still. The pod hatch popped open with a faint hiss and Supinchu stepped out, carefully holding his precious burden. The Prince was still asleep, having gotten a dose of the pod's sleeping vapors just as the sedative in his blood began to wear off. The resulting mix had sent him back into dreamland. His breathing was deep and steady, so Supinchu wasn't too worried. It was night where they had landed, but unlike on Vegetasei, the wind was cool, signaling a coming winter. Supinchu let out a long breath, and grabbed the bag the King had given him as he quickly and quietly took to the air before any night-shift attendants of the landing area could bother him.  
The Elite guard watched the rolling landscape go by underneath him, noting the brightly colored foliage marking the planet's autumn. Mikusobodo was smaller than Vegetasei, though its gravity wasn't much less. This world had more plants (or so it seemed to him) and the air held an odd, tangy scent, thanks to the numerous varieties of trees, but it was still the safest place in which to hide the Prince. ((_If_ Durama and his wife will take him. . .)) Supinchu thought to himself. Some years back, he had made friends with a mated pair of the inhabitants, when he had come with some other soldiers to get the new shipment of the mineral voanium - a substance so rare that close to half the galaxy thought it was just a myth. Only planet Mikusobodo had enough of it to mine steadily, but the substance was so fragile that the actual mining process was very slow and painstaking. Every five years, some of Frieza's soldiers (sometimes with a Saiyan, sometimes not), came in to pick up a shipment. It took that long to get enough for it to be worth the long trip. The one time Supinchu had been sent, he stopped a fellow solider from needlessly beating one of the natives, a man named Durama. In gratitude for his intervention, Durama's wife invited the Saiyan Elite to have dinner with them. Saiyans never turn down free food, so he accepted. During the meal, they had all talked and discovered that they enjoyed each other's company. The next day, as the last of the voanium was being loaded, some of the soldiers decided they needed to remind the slightly surly natives why they served Frieza and didn't dare to defy him. In the moment that a soldier fired a killing shot toward Durama's wife, Harpena, Supinchu diverted the blast to the side, destroying a nearby building and only mildly wounding five people instead. The soldiers were furious, but Supinchi managed to herd them all back onto the ship, accompanied by a few well-placed blows. Harpena and Durama had thanked him profusely and swore they'd find a way to pay him back. Since then, they had communicated sporadically through vid-letters, and Supinchu knew they now had three children of their own. ((Well, I've finally found a way for them to repay me, if they're willing to take the risk!)) he thought as he glanced at his sleeping Prince.  
It took him the better part of an hour to find his friends' house, and he landed in the yard with the quiet, powerful grace all Saiyans possessed. He briefly noted that only a few lights were on, then walked up to the door and knocked. He could hear footsteps and voices, muttering in curiosity at who'd be visiting at so late an hour. After a few minutes, the door was opened by a slim man whose head barely came up to Supinchu's chest. His skin was similar in color to a Saiyan's, but with a faint reddish highlight, and his neatly trimmed hair was a dark, glossy red- orange. His light brown eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Supinchu, and he smiled brightly.  
"Supinchu?! Is that really you?! What are you doing here? Please, come in!" Durama said, moving aside to allow Supinchu entrance to his home.  
"It's me! I'm here to ask an important favor of you. . ." Spinchu smiled in return as he entered. Harpena was a few steps deeper in the house and looked no less pleased and surprised than her husband.  
"Supinchu? I don't believe it! What brings you here?" she asked in happy curiosity. Her skin was the same color has her mate's, and her long, thick hair was a honey-brown color. Her wide, yellow-green eyes locked onto the boy Supinchu carried in one arm. "Who's this? Is he yours?" she asked quickly with a grin, which made Supinchu blanch.  
"No, he is not!" Supinchu answered even quicker, causing them to look at him in confusion. "Listen carefully! You two have been asking me for some way to repay me for what I did for you all those years ago, and now I have a way. This boy I am holding is my Prince; the Crown Prince Vegeta of Vegetasei and all Saiyans."  
"W-what? Supinchu, what's going on?" Durama asked, carefully lowering his voice to keep from waking his children. Harpena motioned for the four of them to go into the living room and they all moved in quietly and sat down.  
"Now, Supinchu, I suggest you start over. We've been hearing that Prince Vegeta was kidnapped out of his room nearly two months ago," Harpena said tensely.  
"The word has spread this far? Well, it's not entirely true. Lord Frieza had decided that he wanted to train and raise Prince Vegeta himself, but King Vegeta didn't want that," Supinchu began. Durama and Harpena listened carefully. "But he couldn't openly defy Frieza. Such insubordination would only have resulted in his death and the Prince still being trained by that tyrant. So, King Vegeta drugged the Prince and gave him to me to hide from Frieza."  
"Wait, you're not saying you want to leave him here. . .with us?" Durama whispered, looking at the sleeping child-prince in Supinchu's lap.  
"Please, this is the only place I know that's safe. Since Frieza's lackeys only come by once every five years, his chance of being discovered here is minimal. There's no telling what will happen to him if Frieza is allowed to have him," Supinchu answered. "My king and queen, all of Vegetasei, my whole race, will be forever in your debt." They all looked down at Vegeta for several long seconds and Supinchu could see Harpena's motherly heart melting at the sight of the sleeping innocent.  
"I certainly wouldn't want any child of mine under that loathsome one's so-called 'care'!" she said. "Durama, he's right; Frieza and his men ignore our world most of the time, the boy will be safe here."  
"That's true enough; but if we're caught, Frieza will probably destroy this whole planet in retribution. . ." Durama said slowly and thoughtfully. Still, his fatherly instincts were bothering him. It felt wrong to leave a small child in the care of the cruel and insane Frieza, but the risk to his own family left him cold inside.  
"You won't be caught, if you keep the Prince out of sight when the soldiers come for their periodic shipment of voanium. Please, this is the only place I know to take him," Supinchu begged quietly. Durama and Harpena looked at the Saiyan Elite and royal child, and then murmured to each other for a moment. Finally, Durama sighed and nodded.  
"All right, we'll take him," Durama said. "You're right, this is about as safe a haven as he'll ever have."  
"I'll take him to the spare room, we can fix it up for him later," Harpena said as she stood up and moved to Supinchu. He also stood and allowed her to take Vegeta from him. She let out a tiny squeak as the boy nearly slipped from her arms. "Oh! He's a heavy little thing!" she said with a small giggle as she got him comfortably into her arms with his head pillowed on her shoulder. "Heavier than I thought, anyway. Come on, little guy, let's get you into bed."  
"Harpena, Durama, thank you," Supinchu said, his voice thick with gratitude.  
"You're welcome, Supinchu. Does he have any allergies we need to know about?" Harpena asked as she began to walk up a staircase against a far wall.  
"Not that I know of," Supinchu said, as she nodded and disappeared onto the second floor. "He'll eat anything and he must train for five to six hours everyday," Supinchu added to Durama.  
"Five to six hours? A pretty rigorous regimen, I'd say. But we don't know many fighting techniques. Close to none, in fact," Durama said, thoughtfully scratching his head.  
"That's all right, I have included a variety of learning materials for him right here. In addition to his physical training, he also needs to study for seven hours everyday," Supinchu took the bag off his belt and handed it to Durama. The shorter man took a look inside and then nodded.  
"That was good thinking on your part," he observed. "He's certainly going to be one busy kid. You'll stay until morning, won't you? And explain things to him?" he added, and Supinchu blinked. He had planned to leave once the prince was delivered, but now that Durama brought it up, he needed to stay and explain what was going on to the Prince. Otherwise, the boy would probably think he _had_ been kidnapped and blow something up - like the house.  
"Yes, I will," Supinchu nodded and Durama released an inaudible sigh of relief, for it had looked to him as though Supinchu was about to leave at that very moment.  
  
Harpena tucked the small boy into the guest bed and watched him roll over onto his side with a sigh. ((The poor little thing; he's going to feel so lost and confused when he wakes up tomorrow.)) she thought as she looked at him. Looking at his small, round face, she could tell he'd be handsome when he was all grown up, and she was glad he'd be kept away from Frieza. ((What does that lizard want with a small boy, anyway?)) she wondered. ((Well, it doesn't matter now, he isn't going to get him. Sleep tight, little Prince. We'll do our best to take care of you.)) With that thought, she did as she always did with her own children after they were in bed for the night, giving him a light and gentle kiss upon his forehead. For a moment, he twitched at the touch, but soon went still again.  
  
Durama and Harpena were awake a bit earlier than usual the next morning, discussing what all needed to be done to get Vegeta properly settled in. Supinchu was sleeping comfortably on the couch and they let him be.  
"He'll need clothes, of course," Harpena observed. "And some toys."  
"We'll need more food, too; we've seen how much a Saiyan can eat," Durama said. "Should we enroll him in school, or home-school him?"  
"I think home-schooling would be better; you never know, someone working at the school could contact one of Frieza's followers and tell them he's here," Harpena answered. Before they could continue, there was a sudden sound of small feet running down the stairs and a moment later, their three children came bounding into the room. They were still clad in pajamas and their hair was ruffled from sleep, but their eyes were wide and very awake.  
"Momma! Poppa! There's a little boy in the guest room!" the oldest one, their son Sasu, said in a rush. He was nine years old with his father's hair and his mother's eyes. "And a man on the couch!"  
"A little boy with a _tail_!" the middle child, a girl name Fululy, added. She was seven, sporting a mop of butter-yellow hair that she got from her mother's side of the family.  
"Yes, we know. His name is Vegeta and he's going to be staying with us," Durama answered, and he and Harpena explained everything to them as best they could.  
"Is he gonna be our new brover?" Tammibo, the baby of the family, asked. She was only three years old and still didn't talk very well. 'Brover' was her attempt at the word 'brother.' She had understood precious little of the given explanation, except that the boy was wanted by a bad person and they were going to hide him from that person.  
"Well. . .kind of," Harpena answered. "Listen, why don't you all get some breakfast, it'll be time for school soon," she instructed and the kids padded off into the kitchen. While Sasu fetched bowls and Fululy got some cereal, Durama got Tammibo into her highchair. Harpena was suddenly overwhelmed with curiosity at how the children had known about Vegeta's tail; when she'd tucked him in the previous night, his tail had been covered by blankets. She stole up the stairs to take a peek into the guest room. Sure enough, sometime during the night, Vegeta had rolled onto his stomach and kicked back the covers, as small children do. His tail was hanging over the edge of the bed along with a small leg and arm. She slipped over and pulled the blankets back over him, before heading back downstairs.  
  
Supinchu woke up the second the sound of cereal falling into a bowl hit his ears. He got up from the couch, then stretched and yawned before going into the kitchen. Upon his entry, a quick round of introductions was made.  
"So you're the Saiyan friend Mommy and Daddy told us about?" Fululy asked innocently.  
"Yes," he said with a nod.  
"How come you're not gonna stay here and take care of your Prince?" Sasu suddenly spoke up. Everyone else's eyes darted warily between the small boy and large warrior. Supinchu didn't seem upset by the question, however, and answered the child in a reasonable voice.  
"Two reasons: One, my King ordered me to return; and two, I'm well- known in and beyond the palace - people will notice if I'm gone for too long," Supinchu explained. "The King wants it to look like the Prince was kidnapped by off-worlders, and my absence at the same time as his disappearance will only raise more suspicions."  
"Oh," Sasu answered, momentarily placated. It was at that moment that a loud cry was heard from upstairs.  
Prince Vegeta had finally woken up from what felt like an overly long sleep, only to realize that he wasn't in his room of the palace. A quick glance out the window to see a pale orange sky was enough to tell him he wasn't even on Vegetasei anymore. For a moment, panic struck his young heart, as every breath brought strange, alien smells to his nostrils and not one familiar sound reached his ears. He allowed his ki to flare as he screamed.  
"WHERE AM I?!" he yelled to the air, tearing the blankets off of himself. He leapt out of the bed and made ready to run out the door, when Supinchu ran into the room, Durama and Harpena a few steps behind him. Momentarily comforted by the sight of one of his people, and one he knew at that, Vegeta ran straight up to him and looked at him sternly. "What's going on, Captain?!" Vegeta demanded in his most commanding voice. Supinchu quickly told him of his father's plan and of the family with whom he'd be staying. Vegeta listened quietly and carefully, his little face scrunching up the whole time.  
"Say _what_? My father sent me away to stay with alien strangers?" he asked once Supinchu finished.  
"Yes, Your Highness. He felt this would be a much better alternative than to have you go with Frieza," Supinchu nodded. "And it is."  
"I _don't_ want to go with Frieza," Vegeta admitted, his face livid with unhappiness at the situation. "But I _don't_ want to be _here_, either! I want to go home! Take me home, Supinchu! That's an order!" Supinchu tensed for a moment at the words. Durama could actually see the brief conflict in Supinchu's eyes when the little Prince gave his order. Supinchu's very first, gut-reaction was to obey, but he knew he couldn't.  
"I can't do that, Highness. Your father ordered me to take you some place safe and I have. You have to stay here, until either it's somehow safe for you to come home, or you're strong enough to defeat Frieza yourself," Supinchu said firmly.  
"It won't be so bad," Harpena spoke up, and Vegeta noticed the alien couple for the first time. "We're nice people, and we'll take good care of you. You'll like it here," she said.  
"You said yourself you didn't want to go with Frieza," Durama nodded.  
"Who are you?" the Prince answered angrily, in no mood to be polite.  
"I'm Durama Munote," Durama answered coolly, unhappy with the boy's seeming lack of manners.  
"And my name is Harpena Munote," Harpena said, her voice getting a harder edge at his rudeness. "I suppose you could say I'll be acting as your mother for a while."  
"My mother is Queen Lesessu of the Saiyan people! You're just a ningen female!" Vegeta snapped, balling his small hands into fists. "I want to go home!" he repeated, accentuating his demand with a stomp of his left foot and turning his dark eyes to Supinchu, who noticed the barest beginnings of tears in their corners. The Prince was teetering on the verge of a full-on temper-tantrum, and Supinchu knew he needed to calm him down quickly.  
"Prince Vegeta!" Supinchu said loudly and firmly, the imperative tone making the boy pull his emotions back in. "Listen to me! I brought you here under direct orders from your father and you will stay here until such time that orders are given for your return! Also, you are not to call home or try to write, nothing! No one must know you're here or Frieza will come for you! All of this has been done to insure your safety and freedom! Is that understood?!" Vegeta was quiet for a few moments, but he sulkily answered.  
"Yes," he said quietly.  
"Durama and Harpena may be ningens, but they are good people and they're taking on a considerable risk to themselves and their children by hiding you. You should treat them with respect for that," Supinchu continued, his voice lowering to normal volume. He knew he had no real power to be scolding the Prince like this, but it was working, so he went with it. Prince Vegeta breathed heavily for a few moments, keeping his frightened, angry tears in, and then his little shoulders drooped the slightest bit.  
"All right, I understand. I'll stay here until Father says I can come home," he said in sad resignation.  
"Good," Supinchu said with a relieved smile. "Now, come on, let's have some breakfast," the Elite guard stood and placed a large hand on Vegeta's small shoulder, and led him out of the room.  
Harpena and Durama headed down first, with Supinchu and Vegeta lagging behind. Vegeta stopped at the top of the stairs and faced his guard.  
"Supinchu? You said you became friends with them when you stopped some soldiers from beating up Durama, but why did you do that? It shouldn't have mattered to you," Prince Vegeta asked very quietly.  
"I'm something of a rarity amongst Saiyan Elites, I suppose. I don't see beating or killing someone you already know is many times weaker than you as a show of real strength," Supinchu explained calmly. "It was pointless and wasted time. If you want to prove you're strong, you need to find and battle strong opponents. Going after those you know are weaker than you only makes you a brute, not a warrior." With that, he nudged the Prince to head down the stairs. Vegeta quietly thought about what Supinchu had said, the words lodging themselves comfortably into a small corner of his mind for future reference.  
Vegeta sullenly climbed into one of the chairs at the table. He was still very upset about his situation, and this place was so _different_ from what he was used to. It was so much smaller, the colors were all wrong and the food smelled odd to him. Nothing here felt right. It took him a minute to realize he wasn't the only child at the table; Sasu, Fululy, and Tammibo were all watching him quietly.  
"Hi, I'm Sasu," Sasu said at last to break the silence. "These are my little sisters, Fululy and Tammibo."  
"Hello!" Fululy said quickly with a smile. The dark look on the Prince's face was a bit unnerving.  
"Hi!" Tammibo said from her highchair as she carefully lifted her little spoon from her bowl and guided it into her mouth. Vegeta regarded them all for a moment, as if judging them to see if they were worth speaking to. Supinchu sent him a quick, cold look, and he sighed.  
"I'm Crown Prince Vegeta of Vegetasei," he said at last. Seemingly encouraged by his actually speaking, Sasu pressed on.  
"How old are you?" the older boy asked.  
"Five standard years," Vegeta answered coolly. "And you?" he added, his voice unnecessarily hard. He could tell Sasu was older than he was, he had well over a head's worth of height on him, but just how big was the gap?  
"Nine standard years," Sasu replied, not deterred in the least.  
"I'm seven," Fululy spoke up again. "And Tammi is only three." Tammibo held up three fingers proudly in agreement. Vegeta lowered his eyes to the bowl in front of himself; he really didn't care how old they were at the moment. The sour look on his face made the children fall silent again and they finished breakfast without another word. Sasu and Fululy excused themselves from the table, cleaned up and got dressed, grabbed their bags and left for school.  
"We'll be home-schooling you for now, Vegeta. At least until we know how the school board stands on loyalty to Frieza," Durama told him and Vegeta frowned at his familiarity.  
"Who gave you permission to call me by my name? You should call me Pr-" Vegeta started to say, but Supinchu squeezed his shoulder and made him stop.  
"Your Highness, while you're staying here, you will have to leave your title behind. But never forget it. Always remember, you are the Prince of all Saiyans, the pride of our race. One day, you will be strong enough to defeat Frieza," Supinchu told him. Vegeta drew in a slow breath and nodded. His life was going to be very different from now on, that much was obvious.  
Supinchu left an hour later, after giving the young Prince a few more words of encouragement. Vegeta watched him go with a sinking feeling in his stomach. How could he be expected to survive in this strange place? He was far more frightened than he wanted to admit and barely spoke to his new guardians for hours. Tammibo tried a few times to cheer Vegeta up, even offering him her beloved stuffed tiramisu doll - a creature with six limbs, bird wings, an oval-shaped head, pointed ears, and in the case of this particular toy, big sparkly eyes. Vegeta blatantly refused the offer of the doll, which hurt Tammibo's feelings. She stormed off to her parents and Harpena consoled her youngest as best she could.  
"It's okay, Tammi, he's just scared and lonely right now. He had to leave behind everything he knew, even his mommy and daddy!" Harpena explained gently.  
"When will he see dem agin?" Tammibo asked quietly; the idea of not seeing one's parents seemed awful to her.  
"No one knows, sweetie. . .no one knows," Harpena answered sadly, sympathy touching her heart for the boy. She glanced at the papers she'd been working on for the small home business she ran and then looked toward the living room, where the Prince was sitting. She stood up, walked over to the little boy and knelt down in front of him where he sat on the couch. He purposefully looked away from her. "Vegeta?" she asked gently.  
"What?" he grumpily replied.  
"Listen to me," she said, reaching out a hand to turn his face to hers. Vegeta pulled back a bit, unaccustomed to being so informally touched by a stranger. "I know this must be very hard on you, and very scary, but I want you to know we will do everything we can to make you feel comfortable and welcome here."  
"Scary? Maybe for somebody else," Vegeta answered indignantly, trying to cover up his fear. "Don't think just because I'm young, I'm weak like you. I'm a Saiyan, and Saiyans don't scare easy!" Harpena sighed softly; she saw right through his tough act.  
"It's okay to be scared; you've had a huge change happen in your life. Anybody would be nervous and upset, there's nothing to be ashamed of. You'll get used to it here," Harpena said with a gentle mother's smile.  
"I don't _want_ to get used to it!" Vegeta huffed. "Frieza prob'ly woulda said the same thing to me," he added quietly. "With you, with him. . .either way, I'm not home. Mother and Father. . .sent me away."  
"Don't you dare think for one instant that this decision was easy for them to make! It would've been painful enough seeing you go with Frieza, but to willingly send you to an unknown and faraway place must have torn their hearts out! But they loved you enough to make sure you'd be safe and happy, even if they had to suffer," Harpena said firmly. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that this was true; it was how she'd feel if she had to do such a thing with any of her children. Vegeta stared back at her in quiet surprise. He hadn't thought of it that way. Before he realized what was happening, Harpena pulled him into a hug. "I know we're not your family, but we'll care for you like one of our own for as long as you're here." Vegeta was so startled by the sudden display of affection, he didn't think to push her away.  
In his haste to return to Vegetasei, Supinchu had forgotten to inform them that it was preferred, and all but insisted upon, that the Prince be raised with minimal exposure to soft emotions.  
  
**************************************************************************** **  
  
voanium - a play on nova. Tiramisu= actually an Italian dessert, consisting of a light, sweet cream/pudding layered on top of espresso or rum soaked lady finger cookies, and topped with a dusting of cocoa powder. Yes, there are puns behind every name in the Munote family, but they won't be revealed until next chapter (in case you haven't figured them out already). Still holding on to the surprise. 


	3. WaySaiyans3

Previously, on DBZ: A young Vegeta has been sent to a distant world called Mikusubodo to keep him out of the hands of Frieza, and is now staying with a family there. He stands on a new path; will being raised with love affect his ultimate destiny (whatever it may be)?  
  
DBZ? Mine? I wish! (Oh, how I wish!) But no, it ain't. And I'm not making any money, neither! The show belongs to Akira Toriyama, FUNimation, and others whose names I don't recall right now. New characters, of course, do belong to me.  
  
**************************************************************************** ** The Ways of the Saiyans by NansJns  
  
Ch.3: Passing Time  
  
Vegeta had spent most of the past few days buried in the holovids his father had sent with him, going over his planet's history, writings, battle techniques, language, mathematics, and various other subjects. Despite Harpena's words of comfort to him, he still didn't want to be there or a part of their family. He did his best to ignore them at first, unless they were serving meals. Even at those daily gatherings, he was withdrawn. Harpena and Durama gave him some of Sasu's old clothes to wear until they had a moment to take him shopping for some clothes of his own, since the only things he'd had on when he was taken from his home were his pajamas; the bag that had accompanied him was stuffed with learning materials, but not one additional stitch of clothing. Vegeta had been inwardly hurt by that omission; he felt he might be a little more comfortable in his new situation if he had something familiar to him, like his blue clothes, white boots, and gloves. He would've liked to have kept his armor and royal medallion, too, but he could understand leaving those behind. When his new caretakers had taken him shopping, they'd made him hide his tail, and wear a hat to hide his spiky Saiyan hair. He had been angry and humiliated by that, and had complained loudly all the way there and back. Now he sat in a gray and blue striped shirt with long sleeves and ankle-length pants that were looser than what he was used to, along with boots of a different color, make, and style from the traditional Saiyan boots he used to wear. He felt completely adrift in existence, uprooted and cast aside. The loneliness for things and people he knew tore at his heart, but he kept his outward expression firm and unaffected, as he'd always been taught to do.  
Vegeta sat in the guest room and went over his spelling lessons with far more concentration than was really necessary, using the forced repetitions to help blot out his surroundings. Still, coming up through the floorboards, he could hear the Munote family, talking cheerfully over some lesson of their own. But, it was the sounds of slowly played musical notes that finally forced his attention fully away from his Saiyan vocabulary. He moved away from the open book and walked slowly to the door, listening again. The music wafted lightly up the stairwell. It was the same piece of a tune, played over and over, as wrong notes were hit or as sour notes cut through it. Vegeta allowed his curiosity and the sound to lead his feet down the hallway, down the stairs, and towards a room located off the living room, which was situated right beneath the guest room.  
The door was half open and he peeked in. The Munote family were all inside, surrounded by at least five different instrument cases and four music stands. Open music books sat on two of the stands, and Sasu and Fululy both sat on chairs in front of the stands, holding guitars. Tammibo was sitting on her mother's lap, holding a small, plastic egg that made a sandy shifting noise when she shook it. The two older children were concentrating on the pages before them, striving to hit the right notes on their stringed instruments. Their parents were encouraging them, correcting their fingering on the frets and directing their strumming of the strings. Little Vegeta took in the whole scene with a small feeling of bewilderment. He understood that the children were having a music lesson, but why would there be so many instruments in this one room? Surely, they couldn't possibly be learning how to play all of them? It would be such a. . .such a waste of time, in his opinion. Durama suddenly glanced up from his son and spotted Vegeta peering in the doorway.  
"Hello, Vegeta!" he said boisterously, smiling at the young Saiyan. "Care to join the lesson?" The rest of the family turned to see him as well, and also smiled in welcome.  
"Yes! Why don't you?" Harpena agreed. Vegeta looked at the room, stalling as he tried to think of a good answer.  
"Come play wif us, Geta!" Tammibo called, and Vegeta cringed a little at just how informal her address of him was.  
"Why do you have so many musical instruments?" he finally asked.  
"Why. . .?" Durama echoed, and then his eyes sparkled with laughter. "Didn't Supinchu tell you we were professional musicians?" Vegeta's eyes flared wide open.  
"No, he didn't! He said you ran a small business and played music, but he didn't say. . .!" Vegeta snapped in surprise.  
"The small business is just to pay the extra bills," Durama answered, still smiling. "Primarily, we're musicians. Don't worry, we're obviously not famous beyond our own world. But we do play small gigs all over this planet."  
"Fairs, festivals, bars, restaurants - places like that," Harpena agreed. Vegeta could only stare at them in disbelief, his expression close to horror. He'd been left with musicians?! Being left with non-warriors was bad enough, but musicians?! It wasn't that he had anything against live music; in fact, he enjoyed it quite a bit. But somehow, being raised by people who played music for a living, and didn't train for battle at all, sounded very. . .unappealing, to say the least. He brought his little, round face back under control and frowned at them all.  
"Well, fine; that's what you do. But I won't be joining any lessons," Vegeta said firmly, and started to turn away. Harpena and Durama couldn't help but be a little impressed with how well he spoke for his age and, at the same time, be a little annoyed with his attitude.  
"That's not too surprising," Sasu muttered suddenly. "Everyone knows that the only thing Saiyans can be good at is fighting. They don't have any talent for anything else."  
"What was that?!" Vegeta snapped back around. "What's wrong with being good at fighting?!"  
"Nothing, but none of you are good or can be good at anything else," Sasu said with a shrug.  
"Sasu, what are you-?!" his father started to scold, when Vegeta stomped up to them with his eyes blazing.  
"We can so!" the indignant little Prince barked, sounding much closer to his age, and then grabbed a small nearby guitar. "I'll show you!"  
Durama and Harpena hesitated for a moment, and then continued the lesson, repeating some of what they'd already shown their children for Vegeta's benefit. Vegeta picked up the bare basics very fast and, before the lesson was over, was strumming simple tunes with minimal mistakes.  
"Well! That was quite impressive!" Harpena commented, as they put the instruments away. "I've never seen someone pick it up so fast before!" Vegeta gave a small, arrogant snort.  
"It's not like this stuff is hard," he answered.  
"Well, that was just a start, you know; it gets harder as you go along. Until you master it, anyway," Durama said casually.  
"Feh! I bet I could learn to play as good as you in a lot less time," Vegeta replied, looking directly at Durama. Durama arched an eyebrow at him.  
"Do you, now? Well, the only way to find out is to take more lessons with us," Durama said, and Vegeta shrugged.  
"Fine," he said, and marched off back to his room. He wouldn't dare admit it to anyone, even himself, but, in fact, he'd enjoyed the music lesson; it had been the first bit of fun he'd had since he'd arrived. That was why he had boasted; just so he'd have an excuse to participate again. Once they thought he was out of earshot, Durama turned on his son.  
"Sasu, why did you insult his people like that? It was extremely rude! You are to apologize to him at once!" Durama said.  
"W-well, I heard the best way to get a Saiyan to do anything was to tell them you didn't think they could, to make it a personal challenge," Sasu admitted sheepishly. "And it worked."  
"Yes. . .it did," Harpena said. "But it was still unkind, and. . .who have you been asking about Saiyans?!" she snapped, suddenly realizing what he had just said. "Sasu Munote, I thought you were smarter than that! Did you forget that Vegeta is hiding here, because he's in danger?! Who have you told?!"  
"Nobody!! I just. . .I just asked Stringer what he knew about Saiyans in general, for a report, I said," Sasu answered quickly. Stringer was his best friend, and his father was in the interplanetary communication branch of the government. "I never once said we had one staying with us, or even hinted at it, honest!"  
"You don't know what he might have thought! If his father finds out, it could mean trouble!" Durama snapped. He took in a few deep breaths to calm down and frowned. "Of course, it's not like Gui is a fan of Frieza, he would probably keep the secret; but still, none of you should say anything to anyone about Vegeta being here, until we know if there are spies or Frieza allies close by," he said firmly. Sasu and Fululy nodded quickly. Durama looked at his son coldly for a moment. "And you, Sasu, are grounded for two weeks."  
"Aw, Dad--!"  
"DON'T start, Sasu! I ought to give you a spanking for the way you endangered all of us!" Harpena barked. "In fact, I think I still might!" Sasu cringed away. They were only spanked for the worst of crimes; and it stung like crazy. "Now, get to your room!" she said, and he quickly scurried off. Fululy took off as well.  
"We need to find out if there's anyone in this city that might sell Vegeta out, and soon," Harpena sighed softly. "This is ridiculous."  
"Good Kami, how long can we hide this boy, anyway? Someone's bound to find out, sooner or later. . ." Durama agreed with a sigh of his own.  
  
Bardock half-listened to the latest news regarding the missing Prince playing on the vid screen in the next room. Four years later, the reports never varied: he was still missing, and no sign of him had yet been found. People were starting to openly speculate whether the King and Queen shouldn't have a second child to be the new heir to the throne. The Queen remained adamant and continued to insist that her firstborn was still out there, alive and well, and that she would bear no more children until he was found. She would tolerate no arguments over her son's rightful claim to the Saiyan throne. The King agreed whole-heartedly with his mate, stating in repeated soundbites meant to assure his subjects, that a new heir wasn't necessary, Prince Vegeta would be found. The other half of Bardock's attention was focused on his youngest son, who was attempting to escape from the bathtub. The squirmy, three-year-old boy looked very much like his father, and had an oddly cheerful attitude.  
"Come on, now, Kakkarot, we're almost finished," Bardock grunted as he poured some more water over the boy's little head.  
"Papa, wanna get out!" Kakkarot complained as he rubbed his eyes with damp fists. Raditz then poked his head around the door frame.  
"Aren't you done yet, Father? I want to show you the new technique I learned today!" Raditz complained. Ever since his little brother was born, he felt shoved to the side; his parents didn't seem to have time for him anymore. He liked the baby well enough, but he still wanted more of his parents attention back.  
"Just a moment, Raditz!" Bardock answered, as he gave a final rinse to Kakkarot. "All right, we're done," he said, as much to one son as the other. He pressed the button to open the drain and lifted Kakkarot out of the bathtub. He flared his ki, sending waves of heated air around the two of them, drying the little boy off in moments as the child let out a happy squeal. "Let me get his clothes on him, and then you can show me, Raditz." Bardock walked to the small nursery at the back of the quarters he shared with his family, and put his still-naked son down on the bed. He pulled open a drawer and quickly pulled out underwear, pants, and a shirt. After catching a giggling Kakkarot as he tried to run out of the room naked, and a few moments of struggling to clothe his youngest, Bardock finished dressing Kakkarot and headed for the main room to watch Raditz at last. His oldest son looked at him curiously as he entered with Kakkarot toddling beside him. Bardock arched an eyebrow at him in return.  
"Something bothering you, Raditz?" Bardock asked.  
"Father, why do Kakkarot and I live with you and Mother?" Raditz asked pointblank in response. "There's only one other kid in my whole age group who lives with his parents; everyone else lives in training camps and none of them have even met their parents yet. Why are we with you?" Bardock gazed at him evenly. The boy had the right to know why his situation seemed so different from the majority of his peers, but the explanation was complicated.  
"You want the whole truth?" Bardock asked with all seriousness. "You think you can understand it, and handle it?"  
"Yes!" Raditz said firmly, though now he was more bewildered than before.  
"Our family, and two hundred and ninety-nine others, are part of a social experiment, to see which way produces better warriors and citizens: the old way of family units, or the newer way of separating the child from the parent at birth and raising them in training camps," Bardock answered, his voice calm and sure. Raditz stared at him for a moment.  
"The training camps are new?" he asked, confused. He'd assumed they'd been in use for centuries.  
"Newer. The concept behind the creation of camps as a way to develop stronger warriors, came about before my great-great grandparents' time. In this fashion, children would be raised separate from their families and thus would form no emotional ties with them. But before that time, Saiyans lived together with families, like so many other species. However, these days, many of our people question if having no families ties at all really helps anything, and some feel that it's actually making things worse. So, this experiment has been set up to see which way is truly better," Bardock said. Raditz looked at him for a long moment, as if trying to decide if he believed him or not, and then tilted his head a bit to one side.  
"Which way do you think works better, Father?" the boy asked. It was Bardock's turn to go quiet as he contemplated his answer.  
"I honestly can't say," he finally replied, after a few moments' silence. "I know only the way I was raised, and how it worked well enough for me and those I know. But. . .I'm finding being with you two, and your mother, a. . .good experience." Raditz studied him for a few moments, as if weighing his answer.  
"So it's good for you, then," Raditz ventured.  
"Don't you like the idea of always having someone around you, to help you grow stronger and smarter, and to whom you can show new moves?" Bardock asked back. "And having someone to whom you can talk and who will listen to what you have to say?" Raditz blinked, then shuffled uncomfortably. "Speaking of which, you said you wanted to show me what you learned today," Bardock continued, and Raditz nodded swiftly, grateful for the change of topic. He could almost hear his schoolmates mocking him again for actually having a family, calling him weak and emotional. He hated being ridiculed and didn't want to be called "weak"; but if the purpose of having a true family was to see if it would make him stronger or weaker, then Raditz mentally affirmed that, for him, it would be stronger! He shifted into a combat position and started going through the new technique he had learned, while Bardock watched and offered comments and criticisms as the boy presented his movements to him.  
Bardock's face was softly lit with interest and pride as his oldest son performed the new move. The warrior truly was enjoying being part of a family, even if much of the time he didn't know what he was doing, and it did get frustrating at times. When Raditz finished his demonstration, Bardock nodded approvingly and clapped him firmly on the shoulder.  
"Quite good for a new technique! You're a fast learner, Raditz!" Bardock said, his voice conveying his pride. Raditz beamed up at his father, happy with the praise, then caught himself and forced his face to smooth out. His teachers had warned him against showing too many emotions. Bardock started to give his son a few pointers when the news broadcast that was still playing in the background mentioned Frieza. Bardock glanced away from his son to the screen, where the reporter was saying that, thanks in large part to the dedicated efforts of the Saiyan warriors, Frieza had conquered four more planets that month, but, despite their hard work, was growing increasingly irate with the Saiyan people. Tensions remained high between Lord Frieza and King Vegeta, and were getting higher. "Like a bomb waiting to go off," Bardock muttered quietly.  
"Father?" Raditz gazed up at him curiously.  
"Papa?" Kakkarot said, mostly just to copy his brother.  
"Nothing. Come on, your mother will be home from her mission soon; we should have dinner ready and waiting for her!" Bardock said, smiling a bit, as he pushed his boys toward the kitchen to help him start the meal.  
  
Okarana returned home bruised, but pleased with how her mission had come out. She greeted her two sons with a wide smile, and actually hugged them quickly. Bardock was also greeted with an embrace, accompanied by her tail coiling around his right thigh for a moment. A few minutes later, a brief knock at the door signaled the presence of Toma, Bardock's best friend and second-in-command, recently arrived back from his own mission, as well.  
"Toma! Hello!" Bardock smiled at him.  
"Hi, Bardock! Just thought I'd stop by and see how you made out on your first baby-sitting job," Toma said with a smirk. "I must say, I'm impressed this place isn't a total disaster area!"  
"I think it all went quite well!" Bardock said, smirking as well. "Come on in, Toma, and join us for dinner." Toma blinked in surprise at the invitation, then genuinely smiled and walked in.  
"Thanks," he said.  
"Uncle Toma!" Raditz smiled up at him.  
"Unca Toma!" Kakkarot said, waving his little arms. Toma couldn't stop the small smile that broke across his face as he rubbed the boys' heads.  
"Hey, brats," he said in greeting.  
"So, you secured another planet for Frieza to sell or rule?" Bardock asked his mate as they all sat around the table to eat. The question was offered in passing, as a part of their routine, when one of them returned from an off-world assignment. However, over the last few years, those words had somehow begun to sound less triumphant and more empty to his ears.  
"Yes, and it was a challenge, too! This world had some real fighters! I. . .I hate it when we're sent to planets full of weaklings; there's no thrill or challenge at all," she said, her eyes flickering with more waiting to be said. She quickly shoveled some food into her mouth, as her eyes drifting to her sons, who were also eating heartily.  
"And?" Bardock prompted. She swallowed thickly.  
"I've been hearing things about Frieza," she said, softly. "We all know that ever since the Prince disappeared, he's been short-tempered with us Saiyans. . .people are beginning to talk. . .they say that he's going to turn on us."  
"Which makes me all the gladder we started building those colonies a few years ago," Toma added quietly, fearfully, as though the room was already bugged.  
"Yes. . .how many people have been moved so far?" Bardock asked in a low whisper.  
"About eight thousand, total," Toma answered, still quietly. "Many of them children."  
"Eight thousand. . .out of, what, five million? Not many," Bardock murmured, shaking his head.  
"If too many disappear at once, it'll raise all kinds of questions," Okarana observed, also in a whisper. Raditz and Kakkarot looked curiously at the adults and wondering why they were whispering.  
"I know," Bardock nodded. "But still, we've all seen what happens to planets that displease Frieza for too long."  
"Yeah. . .fireworks," Okarana sighed.  
"That sick lizard," Toma grumbled as he took a large bite of fried meat. "I wish we could do more. . .but not one of us is strong enough to fight him head on."  
"The Prince might be, when he's fully grown. . .if he's still alive," Bardock muttered. Toma and Okarana made faint noises in agreement.  
"I've also been hearing rumors that Frieza disapproves of the Family Culture Experiment," Toma continued, at a slightly more normal tone of voice.  
"Why? What difference does it make to him?" Bardock asked, genuinely confused.  
"I should think he'd approve of any method of getting better warriors to. . ." Okarana suddenly stopped at the words that had been about to escape from her mouth.  
"To. . .?" Bardock echoed, gazing at his mate, sensing what she'd been about to say.  
"Be his slaves," she finished, very quietly. Bardock and Toma grunted, acknowledging that her statement was far more harsh and honest than most Saiyans liked to believe. When one looked at their relationship with Frieza, really looked at it, "slaves" was the best, and most truthful, way to describe their status. He let them keep their government, but he controlled it; he sent them orders regarding where he wanted them to go and what to do. Defiance was met with death. The Saiyans were well-treated slaves, but slaves, nonetheless.  
"Either way, what can he do about it?" Bardock said. "Thank Kami he doesn't control the funding on this project."  
"Father, can I have some more fried febe?" Raditz suddenly cut in.  
"More febe pwease, Papa!" Kakkarot agreed, holding out his empty plate.  
"Of course," Bardock said at a normal tone, and served his sons their second helpings.  
  
King Vegeta and his Queen sat in a conference with visiting dignitaries from another world, discussing trade opportunities, alliances, and such, but the King's mind was elsewhere. Supinchu stood to one side, with a detached expression that said he was making mental notes. The King's eyes rested on him for a moment, but the guard's face stayed unreadable. Every day that passed by, King Vegeta longed to pull Supinchu aside and ask him where he'd taken the Prince, if he was safe and well looked-after. The King had known sending his son away like that would be hard, but it was proving harder than he'd ever imagined. At least if the boy had gone with Frieza, King Vegeta would know of his whereabouts and be able to speak with him occasionally; as it was, he knew nothing of what was happening to his only child. Supinchu seemed calm and confident every time the Prince was mentioned, and that gave the King some comfort. Even so, as his beautiful mate grew more withdrawn with every passing year, the King longed to know the truth so he might tell it to her, to ease her worried mind and aching heart. Only the knowledge of Frieza's spies and spying devices kept the King from acting on his desires. For now, the secret had to stay within his heart and in the heart of the faithful guard Supinchu. For the sake of his son's safety, both of them had to keep silent, neither telling nor asking. He forced his mind back on the business before him, and hardened his heart, in the manner of a proper Saiyan King.  
  
Frieza stared stormily at the electronic pad resting in his hand. Things hadn't been going his way lately, and that tended to anger him greatly. His father had refused his request for the new ship he wanted, his older brother Coola had stolen one of the planets he already owned, and while the Saiyans had succeeded in getting him another world to rule, he didn't much care about it. There was nothing particularly special about the planet; it was just a token piece to add to his already considerable collection. More importantly, he wasn't happy with the Saiyans themselves. He still couldn't believe they hadn't located their own Prince, after four years of searching! It screamed of either an incompetence he couldn't stand, or a probable betrayal, which he found even less tolerable. It didn't help that, every chance he got, Coola rubbed his face in the loss of the prized Saiyan Prince. What was more, he had recently received the latest update on the social experiment the Saiyans were conducting. So far, the family units were doing quite well, despite the great amount of mocking the children tended to receive from their fellows. Frieza frowned deeper as he thought about it. This experiment would cause him great trouble later, he was sure of it. Keeping the Saiyans emotionally bereft was a large part of what made it so easy to control them. They had no one to think about but themselves, and that helped to make the love of a challenge nearly all-consuming; they had nothing else on which to focus. Frieza set the data pad aside.  
"I'm getting a bit tired of those monkeys. . .there must be some way to bring them back in line," Frieza muttered to the air. He could sense the Saiyans trying to wiggle free of his control, and he wouldn't stand for it! He would turn all of Vegeta-sei into space dust before he let the Saiyans go! There was a sudden, faint chime from the door, announcing someone wished to see him. "What is it?!" Frieza snapped.  
"Lord Frieza, it's me. May I have a word with you?" Zarbon's deep, accented-voice said through the door, and Frieza grunted in annoyance.  
"Come in!" Frieza answered, and the door opened. Zarbon stepped inside Frieza's chamber, and the door shut behind him.  
"My Lord, what is it that's making you so angry? The entire crew is in a panic, afraid that you'll start killing people at random again," Zarbon said. Frieza was known to occasionally kill people for simple little annoyances when he was angry as a way of calming himself, and thus whenever it was clear he was in a foul mood, the crew did all they could to fix the situation quickly.  
"Things just haven't been going the way I've wanted recently, Zarbon," Frieza answered coolly, his voice barely covering his thin temper. "It's not one thing, but a multitude of things. This so-called 'experiment' the Saiyans are conducting, for example," Frieza handed the data pad with the latest information on the experiment to Zarbon so he could look at it. The blue-skinned henchman quickly glanced over the report, but failed to see what about it could be so annoying to Frieza.  
"What about it, My Lord?" Zarbon asked carefully.  
"I don't like it, Zarbon," Frieza said lowly. "It's a threat to my control over those pesky monkeys; a control that I feel has already slipped too much."  
"What possible difference could it make even if this experiment does have positive results? Male Saiyans outnumber females by three-, nearly four-,to-one; they couldn't all settle into proper family units even if they wanted to. Not to mention how many wouldn't want to, or would think that, despite what the test said, families are a weakness," Zarbon observed, flicking his green braid over his shoulder as he spoke.  
"And what happens if this actually succeeds in producing even better warriors than before? Warriors that actually feel that they have something to protect from me other than their own skins? Besides, I said I do not like it, Zarbon; that, in and of itself, is reason enough to terminate it. Don't you think?" Frieza answered, glaring at Zarbon, his temper starting to flare. Zarbon swallowed nervously.  
"Of course, Lord Frieza! As you say!" Zarbon said quickly, snapping to attention. "So, what shall you do about it?" he asked cautiously.  
"I think I'll grant some of those experimental families a great honor, and take their children to be trained by us," Frieza said, a malicious smile spreading across his face. "No children. . .no experiment. And they cannot refuse me." The space tyrant began to chuckle at his plan; just the thought of ruining the Saiyans' little experiment improved his mood greatly. And who knew, maybe having all those pathetic little Saiyan children under his thumb would help make up for the loss of the Prince. Zarbon nodded briefly in agreement.  
"An excellent idea; more personally trained troops for us, and. . ." the blue-skinned pretty boy grinned, for there was nothing like hands-on training to turn one of those monkeys into a properly loyal lackey who was willing to do the dirty work. "Continued servitude for them." he finished, and Frieza laughed even harder.  
"Zarbon, go and fetch me a list of the names of the families participating in this project, so I can begin my selection," Frieza said, a smile tilting his glossy black lips.  
"Right away, Lord Frieza!" Zarbon bowed, then left the room to get the requested information.  
"I'll show those monkeys what happens when you defy Frieza," Frieza muttered to himself as he sat down in his hover chair.  
  
A holo-vid was hand-delivered to Bardock and Okarana's quarters a few days after Frieza and Zarbon had their discussion. When inserted into the player, a small hologram of Frieza appeared, smiling maliciously. The moment they saw the ice-hearted tyrant's image, their own hearts nearly stopped. What did he want?  
"Some congratulations are in order," the message started. "I've decided to take on several Saiyan youths into a new training regime overseen directly by myself and my most elite soldiers, and your children have been chosen to be among the first to join it. The children will stay in my ship or at the Kimchee Outpost until the training is finished, in about fifteen to twenty years. I will expect them to be delivered to my ship at noon in two days' time. Once again, congratulations upon receiving this honor!" the hologram said, hardly covering the mockery lurking behind his words. Bardock and Okarana became livid, each swearing at the hologram in turn as it repeated its message.  
"Turn the damn thing off!" Okarana snarled as the message began for the third time, and lunged for the button herself. Frieza's voice stopped and his image disappeared, but the impending destruction of their family still lingered in the air. "I don't understand. . .how could this happen?"  
  
"Wasn't he told which children were in the experiment? He can't just. . ." Bardock started, and then the realization hit him like a ki ball. "Damn him to hell!! He's doing this on purpose, to disrupt the experiment! I'll bet money that most, if not all, of the other families received holo-vids, just like this one!" he said sharply, and quickly scooped up his scouter, punching buttons to open the communicator frequency for another family they knew.  
"Kaba? This is Bardock - did you just receive a holo-vid from Frieza?" Bardock asked quickly once the connection was made.  
"Yes! He wants us to give him our children for 'training'! Did you get one too?!" the male voice of Kaba answered, full of anger.  
"We did! He wants to destroy the experiment!" Bardock snarled.  
"That fucking tyrant! Why can't he leave any part of our society to us?!" Kaba snarled in turn. "So what are we going to do about it?"  
"What can we do? Refusing Frieza is hardly an option!" Bardock answered, frustration mixing with his fury. "His 'relations' with the King are strained nearly to the breaking point already; if we refuse him outright, that bastard is liable to slaughter us all in retribution!"  
"Damn the whole thing to hell," Kaba's voice muttered quietly. "I was actually getting to like living like this. . .shit! Well, at least now my teammates will stop mocking me for being so 'weak' as to have a family." Bardock couldn't think of an answer for several long moments; his mind and heart were tied in knots. "Fair odds say Frieza will limit or ban any communication with the children, as well, once he gets his slimy hands on them," Kaba continued.  
"Of course," Bardock sighed. "All we can do is try to prepare them for what's coming. . . as if anything can."  
"Yeah. No time like the present to get started, I suppose," Kaba said with a rumbling sigh. He was amongst the slowest to adjust to the new situation of living in a "normal" family unit, and would most likely be amongst the fastest to adjust to being out of one again. But, he loathed this way of getting out of it. "Kaba out."  
"Bardock out," Bardock said, and closed the channel.  
"Bardock, I won't accept this! There has to be something we can do!" Okarana said as Bardock slowly removed his scouter.  
"Like what, onna?" Bardock said sharply. "We can do nothing! If I thought there was even a slim chance in hell, I'd fight that monster and his lackeys alone to keep our sons with us, but I know that it would be pointless! We must let them go. It. . .it's more the Saiyan way, anyway. . ."  
"Don't hand me that bullshit! The whole point of this experiment was to see which way really was our way! Saiyans had families long before there were training facilities and off-world missions! I know we can't fight them, but can we just let them take our sons away?" Okarana yelled in reply. Bardock said nothing; there was nothing to say. Okarana sat down heavily into a chair and fought to keep her composure. "Keeping the children does have an affect on the parents, doesn't it?" she said quietly. "If they'd been sent off on missions, then into one of the training facilities, and I'd have maybe seen them once or twice in my life, it wouldn't have bothered me to send them off with Frieza - I would think it was an honor. But. . .I've held them in my arms, seen their first steps, heard their first words, seen their first combat moves. . .it's different. So different. Maybe this does make us weak and emotional. But it doesn't really feel weak. Not to me."  
"No," Bardock agreed as he sat beside her. "It doesn't feel like weakness to me, either. Maybe it is; I don't know anymore. That was the whole point of the experiment, wasn't it? You're right, it's different. It hurts. I've held them, too, and seen all those firsts. It was worth bearing the mockery we received and, to me, that's sufficient proof that there's some strength to be gained from this. And I, also, will miss them. But there's nothing we can do."  
"Nothing. . ." Okarana murmured with a heavy heart; but her mind had drifted suddenly to something she had read a short while ago in a geological survey of various planets. Something that could well save her family...  
  
Bardock was awoken by the soft feel of his mate's lips on his own, but he could tell it was still too early to get up, and he couldn't quite understand why she'd want to make love then. The previous day had become hellish once he and Okarana had broken the news to Raditz and Kakkarot. Raditz had complained loudly about being trained by Frieza; he'd heard his parents talking about the tyrant lord enough times to know he didn't want to be anywhere near him. Kakkarot was too small to fully understand and simply objected to being taken away from his mama and papa. Bardock and Okarana had talked and argued for hours about what could be done, including running away to another world, but nothing had been decided. Okarana had gone to sleep that night with hot tears of anger, frustration, and sadness in the corners of her eyes. So had Bardock. Even now, he could still smell the faint odor of those tears soaked into her pillow, mixed with her own scent. As he woke up all the way, he realized much of his beloved mate's mind was closed to him, and it worried him. What was going on here? He opened his eyes to gaze into hers, and realized that she had decided upon something, something he wasn't going to like.  
"Okarana, what is it?" he asked, sitting up. Okarana's answer was several moments in coming, which did nothing to soothe Bardock's edginess, even as he steeled himself against his fears.  
"I'm going to take the boys with me and go into hiding. A few days ago, I found a planet listed in the database that Frieza only visits once every five years; we should be safe there," Okarana finally said, and Bardock felt his spine stiffen in horror.  
"We never agreed on that! We were still discussing options. . .!" he hissed, trying to keep his voice down so his sons wouldn't be woken up. Fear for his family's welfare welled high in his chest. ((Frieza will kill you when he finds you!)) he said through their bond.  
((I don't think he will find us. Bardock, please, this was the only thing I can think of to do.)) Okarana pleaded softly. Bardock was caught between fury and worry, trying to comprehend what was going through his woman's mind.  
((Wait a minute - you said you and the children will hide? What about me?)) Bardock suddenly felt an iciness clench his heart.  
((If all four of us disappear at once, it'll be far too suspicious! I was thinking, you can create some false documents that say I'm on a mission, and that Kakkarot and Raditz were "accidentally" sent on child purge missions. And if someone comes to check up on it, you can use the documentation to confirm it. You know how to make such documents, but I don't. Or maybe you could make documents for all us, and we can pray they fall for it; but I don't think it would work as well.)) Okarana explained. ((But if they see that you've stayed behind, they'll eventually lose interest in you; then, you can join us. I couldn't sleep, so I just came up with this while lying here awake. It's not the most perfect of plans, but...)) Bardock breathed slowly as he processed her plan.  
((Why don't you just go to one of the colonies?)) he asked.  
((I thought about that, but I think it's too risky - if Frieza really wants the boys, there's too much of a chance that he'll will find a way to track us down, and we can't risk leading him to one of our colonies!)) she explained. Bardock nodded in understanding. Her concerns were valid, if a bit exaggerated.  
((Where will we go?)) he asked quietly. ((What is the name of the planet? Where is it?)) Okarana made ready to answer, until she felt her mate's intention to stay. Understanding stung them both, then. It would be wiser and safer for them all if he didn't know any details until he was safely out from under Frieza's watchful scrutiny. Okarana felt, more than heard, the deep surrendering sigh he breathed. ((I'll make the documents and I promise that I will join you and our sons as soon as I can. Only when I know it's absolutely safe to do so, I'll call to you through our bond and get the coordinates.)) Okarana nodded, then kissed him again. Bardock pulled her to him and gently pulled her nightclothes out of his way, to make love to her one last time before she disappeared for Kami only knew how long. Their passionate encounter was painfully brief, for they both knew time was of the essence.  
Bardock could only offer his sons a few words of wisdom and briefly squeezed their shoulders in turn before Okarana smuggled them out the door and down to the closest launching area. Bardock remained behind in their quarters; Okarana and the children could draw enough attention all on their own, but all four of them would draw too many inquiring looks from the night-shift guards. Even knowing that the launching pads would be nearly deserted at such an early hour, they dared not take more risks than necessary. Bardock sat alone in their quarters, watching his family's collective kis moving further and further away on his scouter, flying far away from Vegeta-sei, and him. He allowed himself one long, shuddering breath, and then he buried his sorrow deep in his heart, making it stone- hard, and unable to be breached except by the touch of his mate's heart and mind, as he'd been taught to do his whole life. With that, he returned to bed to get a little more sleep before it was time to get ready for his next mission and to make the fake documents.  
Okarana and her two sons were squeezed tightly into the single pod, sound asleep in the swirling sea of stasis gases. The pod headed in an arrow-straight course toward its target, a small, distant world called Mikusobodo.  
  
**************************************************************************** ** Funny how fate works sometimes, isn't it? And now, name meanings! Harpena= a play on harp, the instrument. Durama=a play on drum. Ditto. Sasu= saxophone. Fululy= flute. Tammibo= tambourine. Munote= the words "music note" squeezed into one word. Stringer= well, this is fairly obvious, isn't it? Strings! Gui= pronounced "ghe", as in guitar! Mikusobodo= more-or-less a Japanese pronunciation of "mixer board" - a device used in the recording of music tracks, as well as balancing said tracks during a performance. Kaba= a play on cabbage.  
  
Contact me at NansJns@aol.com or, if that doesn't work (and it's only a matter of time before that address goes away for good, I'm afraid): NansJns@sa-tech.com 


	4. WaySaiyans4

(To The Tune of: Lord of the Dance [no, not the big dance production, the folk song!] Back off, whereever you may be! I don't own the rights, said she! It belongs to others, and not me! And I don't own this show, said she!  
  
Is that quite clear? Oh, and Vegeta's nickname is pronounced "Gee-tah", in case you were wondering. **************************************************************************** ** The Ways of the Saiyans by NansJns  
  
Ch.4: Discovery  
  
It was early in the morning when Okarana's space pod landed on one of the landing pads on planet Mikusobodo. Raditz and Kakkarot yawned a little as they came out of the pod, and Okarana took their hands to lead them quickly away before any of the attendants could reach them and ask questions. She led them quickly into the city, where they found a hotel to stay the night and get something to eat. When it was late enough in the morning for places to be open, they went back outside.  
"All right, we need to find some furnished quarters; hopefully, that won't take too long," she said, and her boys nodded. She picked up Kakkarot in one arm, and continued to hold Raditz's small hand in her free hand as she lifted into the sky. Raditz could fly on his own, but Kakkarot couldn't. As they started to fly off, Okarana's scouter, which she'd put on out of long-ingrained habit, unexpectedly chirped. "Hm?" she glanced at the readout it was giving her, which was far too high for the natives of this planet. "What in the world. . .?" she wondered aloud.  
"What is it, Mother?" Raditz asked.  
"Mama?" Kakkarot said.  
"A very large ki is nearby," Okarana answered. "I didn't think the natives of this world could get so strong. . ." she pondered for a few moments. "Something is odd here," she decided. Her natural curiosity about strong kis overwhelmed her, and she flew off toward where the high ki was with her children in tow. Before she could reach the high ki, however, the reading suddenly dropped low and disappeared. "Hmmm; strange. Where did it go?" she murmured quietly. She stared in the direction from which the high ki had been coming for a few moments, then turned away and put her mind back to finding suitable long-term quarters. However, the question of the mysteriously high ki remained in the back of her mind.  
  
As fortune would have it, Okarana found fully-furnished quarters at the edge of the city without much difficulty, and at a fair price. She wondered, briefly, if the low price had something to do with the fact that she still wore her Saiyan armor, and the Mikusobodo-jin realtors were afraid of violent punishment if they quoted her too high a price, even if it was what such quarters would normally go for. It didn't matter much to her, as long as she had a safe place to hide her children. The three Saiyans were starting to consider finding something for their midday meal when Okarana's scouter chirped again. It was sitting on a counter top, where she had left it, and it was flashing a yellow readout over its green- tinted, one-eyed visor. Okarana picked it up and put it back on, punching buttons to try and lock onto the coordinates of the high ki; the same high ki she had noticed that morning. It took only a few moments to get the information she desired and, after only a moment's thought, she decided to investigate. Raditz and Kakkarot were in the living room, Raditz attempting to show his brother the proper way to side-kick someone.  
"Raditz, Kakkarot, that large ki is back, and we're going to find its source. Come on!" Okarana said as she marched up to them and scooped up her youngest. Raditz was a little confused by her wish to take them along with her, but wordlessly complied.  
They flew quickly to a small gathering of houses a short ways from the main city, and Okarana zeroed in on the high ki. She landed quickly on a street lined with houses, scanning around quickly for the warrior that had to be there. As she looked, she set Kakkarot down beside her, but there was nothing to see other than a group of kids in one of the largest lawns playing some kind of game with a ball. Suddenly, one of the children jumped out of the crowd and flew over to the goal to score a point.  
"No fair, Geta! You know we can't fly like you!" one of the kids complained. Okarana openly stared at the boy they had called "Geta". There was no mistaking the mass of thick black hair that stood up like fire around and above his head, the slanted black eyes, and furry brown tail. It was the missing Prince!! One of the Mikusobodo-jin children suddenly noticed her, Kakkarot, and Raditz, and turned to the Prince in surprise.  
"Hey, Geta! They have tails just like you!" the boy said, pointing. The nine-year-old Prince turned his head and saw his fellow Saiyans for the first time. Okarana was frozen where she stood. Vegeta stared right back at her, his eyes flaring wide in momentary surprise before his face smoothed over into an emotionless mask. He left his playmates without a word and marched right up to her like any proper Saiyan Elite would, with his head high, shoulders square, strength and pride showing through every step. He stopped two feet from her and looked up into her face.  
"Are you here to take me home?" he asked bluntly. "I thought I'd get a message saying someone was coming to get me before anyone showed up."  
"Wh-what?" Okarana answered, coming out of her state of shock. Realizing the young Prince was looking up at her expectantly, she quickly dropped to one knee before him and pulled Raditz and Kakkarot down with her. Raditz recognized the Prince as well, but Kakkarot was at an utter loss to explain his mother's behavior. He was only three, he didn't listen to the news; and what he did hear seldom made any sense to him.  
"No, Your Highness, I'm not here to take you home. I didn't know you were here! I came here to hide, with my sons. Your kidnappers are here? Where are they? I'm sure all of us together can. . .!" Okarana said, quickly flashing on thoughts of freeing her Prince from his captors.  
"I wasn't kidnapped!" Vegeta cut her off quickly. "My father sent me here."  
"What?" Okarana said for the second time, as astonishment made her mouth fall open.  
"My father had me brought here so I wouldn't have to go with Frieza," Vegeta explained calmly. For a second or two, Okarana was certain she must have heard him wrong, but then she realized it actually made sense. It would certainly explain why the King was always so sure that the Prince was alive and would be found! It was so utterly brilliant! She began to smile, but then Okarana thought of what Frieza's reaction would be, once he discovered the trick that had been played on him, and a sudden shiver passed over her. Before she could said anything else, three Mikusobodo- jin children tentatively approached them, a boy of about thirteen, a girl of about eleven, and another girl who looked to be about seven.  
"Are you here to take Geta back?" the boy asked.  
"I already asked that, Sasu," Vegeta told him. Without warning, the seven-year-old girl grabbed Vegeta around the neck in a frightened hug.  
"No! You can't take big brother Vegeta away!" she wailed. Vegeta grimaced in annoyance and pried her hands off him.  
"Let go, Tammibo! You knew I wasn't here to stay! Besides, she says she's here to hide, too," Vegeta said, sharply at first, and then softly with disappointment.  
"Really?" Fululy asked, gazing wide-eyed at the Saiyan woman and her children.  
"'Big brother' Vegeta?" Okarana inquired.  
"Geta's been staying with our family," Fululy explained. "We sorta think of him as our second brother."  
"I see," Okarana said, and then cleared her throat. "No, I'm not here to take Vegeta back. We three also came here to hide from Frieza," she re-stated for the other children, and Raditz and Kakkarot nodded in agreement.  
"Why are you hiding from Frieza? Something tells me you're a bunch of third-classes; what possible interest could he have in you?" Vegeta demanded. Okarana told him, in brief, about the experiment, and Frieza's attempt to sabotage it. "Oh," Vegeta said after she was finished.  
"We should tell mom and dad they're here, Geta," Fululy observed.  
"Why are you calling him 'Geta'?!" Okarana snapped at her, making the girl jump. "His name is --"  
"They know!" Vegeta barked at the older woman. "They call me 'Geta' because calling me by my full name and title might attract unwanted attention. I'm in hiding, remember? I don't like it, but that's how it is."  
"All right, Your Highness; if you say so," Okarana answered, understanding the logic behind the nickname now.  
"How old are you?" Sasu asked Raditz. The Saiyan boy looked at him coolly before answering.  
"Eleven standard years," he said. Sasu's eyes widened at the number.  
"You're younger than me? I thought you were older! I mean, look at you!" Sasu said, staring at him. Raditz stood up at the comment, and realized he stood a full head taller than Sasu already, and his shoulders were several inches broader.  
"How old are you?" Raditz asked in return, feeling a bit of amusement at the situation.  
"Thirteen," Sasu answered, unconsciously throwing his shoulders back and sticking his chest out a little in an effort to look older than the already-tall, already-muscled Raditz.  
"Sasu! Fululy! Geta! Tammibo! Lunch is ready!" a woman's voice suddenly called, and all four children turned to answer.  
"Coming!"  
"Be right there!"  
"Just a minute!"  
"Coming, Mommy!" Okarana stood up to get a better look at the woman who had called for the children. She was a bit small by Saiyan standards, medium build but not muscular, red-highlighted tanned skin, shoulder-length honey-brown hair, and wide, yellow-green eyes. She wore a loose shirt and pants, and was looking at Okarana in abject fear.  
From a distance, the first thing the Mikusobodo-jin woman had noticed and recognized was the armor, and for a terrifying moment she thought the other woman was one of Frieza's soldiers. Panic had gripped her heart as she wondered wildly if she could reach her children in time to rescue them, and then she saw that the other woman had the long, furry tail that was only characteristic of Saiyans. When she realized this, the fear was rapidly replaced with relief and puzzled surprise; she had thought they'd get some warning before someone came to take back Vegeta. The children, with the three new Saiyans behind them, came dashing back toward the house for the midday meal. Okarana, sensing that other woman held more answers to this very strange situation, walked right up to Harpena. Upon seeing the little ones with the Saiyan woman, Harpena was left in total bewilderment.  
"Hello. . .?" Harpena ventured slowly.  
"Hello," Okarana said, studying the woman carefully. "You've been looking after our Prince?" she asked. The woman didn't look like much of a warrior.  
"Yes, I have. I and my husband," Harpena said with a nod, feeling a little unsettled by the Saiyan woman's hard gaze.  
"They're not here to take me back. They're hiding here, too," Vegeta volunteered, and Harpena felt herself relax a little.  
"Is that so? Well, please come on in and tell us about it. We might be able to help," Harpena said, motioning for Okarana, Raditz, and Kakkarot to enter. She turned to look at Vegeta, and suddenly frowned. "Geta! You know better than to go out without your hat and with your tail out plain as day!" Harpena scolded him quickly, and he rolled his eyes and sighed.  
"Yes, I know. Spies everywhere," he answered, sounding bored.  
"There could be! We've told you before that in the year prior to Pick-Up Day, Frieza sends people here to make sure everything is coming along like it should!" Harpena stated firmly, not liking his casual attitude.  
"I didn't see anyone I didn't know," Vegeta sullenly answered.  
"You didn't see us until that one kid pointed us out to you," Raditz observed, and Vegeta rounded on him in anger.  
"I didn't ask you! Mind your own business!" Vegeta barked, and then realized Raditz was right. "Fine! You're right! I screwed up! I won't do it again!" he said, and then plopped down heavily into a chair and scowled.  
"What's going on?" Durama asked as he entered the living room. He came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Okarana, but then relaxed a little when he spotted the tell-tale tail. "Oh. . . Hello. Is it time already?" he asked carefully.  
"No; I'm not taking him back. I'm hiding on this planet as well, with my sons," Okarana answered, motioning to the two youngsters with her.  
"I see," Durama said, his manner becoming more open and friendly. "I'm Durama Munote, and you've met my wife, Harpena. You are. . .?"  
"Okarana," Okarana answered briskly. "And this is Raditz and Kakkarot," she motioned to her boys, who both nodded in greeting.  
"Nice to meet you, I'm sure," Durama said, holding out his hand. Okarana looked at it for a moment, then slowly took it and shook.  
"I'd invite you to join us for lunch, but I don't think we have enough for four Saiyans," Harpena observed. "It's hard enough just keeping up with Vegeta's appetite!"  
"I can well imagine. We'll eat later," Okarana answered as she watched the ningen children and the Prince scurry into the kitchen for the promised lunch. Raditz and Kakkarot made small noises in protest at having to wait to eat, but fell silent again as Okarana sent them a quick, hard look. Kakkarot let out a little, huffed sigh and dropped his head against his mother's leg.  
"Still, we can give you something to drink, and no doubt you have questions," Harpena said, motioning for them all to follow the children. Okarana nodded, and they all went into the kitchen. The children's lunch consisted of eight thick sandwiches for Vegeta, one sandwich each for the other three children, and a big bowl of salad sitting in the middle of the table, along with a pitcher of some kind of green drink. Durama quickly fetched some extra chairs for their guests, and once they were all seated, Okarana, Durama, and Harpena fell into a question-and-answer session. Okarana was quick to request information on how they had safeguarded the Prince for the last four years.  
"We were very careful; we hardly ever let him out of house, until we were assured that everyone in this town, with whom we might come in contact, truly felt about Frieza. It was a relief to discover that no one around here has any desire to help Frieza in any way," Durama said. "But, of course, spies for the tyrant could show up at any time, especially so close to Pick-Up Day. He tends to send out feelers, months in advance, to make sure the shipment of voanium will be ready in time. So, to safeguard the Prince's identity, we call him Geta, make him hide his hair and his tail, and keep him inside and out of sight as much as we possibly can."  
"Well, that sounds like a good start, I suppose. But you let him out with his hair and tail in plain view - had I been one of Frieza's mindless low-level lackeys, I could have reported him before any of you knew I was here," Okarana said, sending a sideways glance to the Prince as he ate his lunch. Vegeta arched an eyebrow back at her.  
"We try our best, but he's a proud, stubborn child - he hates wearing his hat and hiding his tail. He's been known to go outside covered up, and as soon as he thinks we're not looking, he ditches his disguise and goes running off," Harpena answered, also sending a quick glance Vegeta's way. Vegeta "humphed" in response.  
"I hate having to hide who I am! I may live here for the moment, but I'm still the Prince of all Saiyans!" Vegeta said. Okarana and Raditz gave a small nod in understanding and agreement. Kakkarot was too busy chewing on the piece of juicy red fruit he had been given to listen. The Munote children had given Raditz and Kakkarot some of their lunch to tide them over.  
"I know, Vegeta. But it's not safe for you to go out with your most prominent Saiyan features on display, not this close to Pick-Up Day," Durama observed gently, and Vegeta turned his focus back to his food.  
"Speaking of which, the three of you'll all need to hide your tails and hair, too, if you don't want to be spotted by a spy as well," Harpena said, looking at the other Saiyans. "Actually, Okarana, your hair may be all right like it is. . ."she said, looking at Okarana's mostly smooth hair. She had a few, thin spikes part way down her long, dark mane, but they were all but invisible from a distance. Her dark eyes were rounded and slanted, her face high-boned and strong. Her body was lean and muscular, but her figure was still highly feminine.  
"I'm sure my hair will be all right, but you may have a point about my sons'," Okarana said, scrutinizing Raditz's long, unruly hair, and Kakkarot's wild spikes that were so much like his father's.  
"We discussed cutting Vegeta's hair at one point, but he absolutely refused. He said Saiyan hair doesn't grow back. . .are you all right?" Durama's words slowed a bit as he saw Okarana go rigid at the mention of cutting the Prince's hair.  
"Saiyan hair doesn't grow back," Okarana confirmed. "If you'd cut his hair, that's how it would've look the rest of his life. And keeping his hair the way it is will help our fellow Saiyans recognize him as our true Prince when he returns."  
"I see," Durama said. "I'm glad we didn't force the issue, then."  
"Yeah," Harpena agreed. The adults resumed their conversation while the children continued eating, and before long, Vegeta had finished his eighth sandwich and polished off the salad as well. He wiped off his mouth with a paper towel, stifled a small burp, and then smiled - a small smile, but a genuine one - at his long-standing guardians.  
"It was good. Thanks, Harpena-Mama," Vegeta said as he pushed his empty plate away from himself. Okarana nearly fell out of her chair.  
"Harpena. . .mama?!" she choked out. Vegeta snapped his head around to look at her, his eyes wide and his cheeks flushed with the realization that he'd just said something he shouldn't have in another Saiyan's presence.  
"They've been taking care of me for four years - sometimes, I call them mama and papa. But only ever with their names; I know they're not my parents! My real mama and papa are Queen Lessesu and King Vegeta of Vegeta- sei!" he said quickly, to prove he hadn't lost his identity in his years living amongst these aliens.  
"Exactly right," Okarana said lowly, glancing suspiciously at Durama and Harpena. The two Mikusobodo-jins held themselves firmly, refusing to be unnerved by Okarana's increasingly cold looks. They made mental notes to themselves not to bring up Vegeta's music lessons, as did Vegeta himself.  
As the rest of the children finished eating, they took their plates into the kitchen and put them in the sink, before heading for the door again.  
"We're going back out to play, okay?" Fululy called to their parents.  
"That's fine! Geta, are you wearing your hat?" Harpena answered.  
"Yes," Vegeta answered, sounding like his patience was wearing thin.  
"And is your tail hidden?" Durama added coolly.  
"Yes!" Vegeta replied, his voice rising in annoyance.  
"All right then, have fun," Durama said with a hint of amusement. With that, the three Mikusobodo-jin children and the Saiyan Prince bounded out the door.  
"Mother, may I go with them?" Raditz asked. He was bored of sitting at the table.  
"I suppose...but keep your head down, and keep a sharp look out," Okarana instructed.  
"I go too?" Kakkarot asked quickly while waving a chubby little arm at his brother, not wanting to be left behind.  
"You're too little," Raditz answered as he left the table. "Stay here with Mother."  
"But wanna go wif you!" Kakkarot objected, reaching for his brother.  
"You'll stay here with me, Kakkarot," Okarana said to him.  
"Okay, Mama," Kakkarot said, though it was clear he was still disappointed. The three adults, with little Kakkarot in tow, moved into the living room to keep an eye on their respective children through the windows. The conversation continued without missing a beat.  
"So, I guess this means that Vegeta will have some Saiyan playmates at last," Harpena said brightly as she watched Raditz and Vegeta comparing martial arts moves.  
"Good thing, too," Durama observed with a quirky grin. "He's been trying to find someone to spar with, but even when he finds someone better than he is, he surpasses them in no time and beats the hell out of them without meaning to! I'm sure having other Saiyans to train with will help him significantly."  
Okarana stared hard at the Mikusobodo-jin couple, trying to read their faces and actions. There was something in the way the two of them had behaved earlier when they were told she wasn't there to take Vegeta back home that had struck her as odd. There was something else in their voices, and in the way they spoke about the Prince; an emotion that Okarana couldn't seem to place.  
"Vegeta is really doing quite well here despite his troubles finding a sparring partner, I think. Your boys will, too, I'm sure. We'll help you settle in and hide as much as we can! I know of some good stores where we can find you more subtle clothes. . ." Harpena chattered pleasantly as she continued to look out the window. At that moment, Okarana found the answer.  
"You're glad I'm not here to take him back!" Okarana said in shock. Harpena drew in a slow breath, turned her head, and looked the Saiyan woman evenly in the eyes.  
"Yes, I am. We both are. We've taken care of and loved Vegeta like one of our own for four years, and we'll miss him when the time comes for him to return to his real home. Do you have a problem with that?" Harpena stated simply.  
"I appreciate everything you've done for him, but I think you're raising him to be too emotional. He is the Saiyan Prince, the greatest warrior of our race, and he must be strong enough to defeat Frieza when he's grown!" Okarana answered coolly, with a hint of agitation. "And I believe the majority of the Saiyan people would take it as a grave insult to hear him call you and your mate 'Mama' and 'Papa'."  
"Do you know why he calls us that? Because we saved his life. Not from Frieza," Harpena cut off Okarana before she could speak again. "Not quite two years ago, he came down with one of our planet's illnesses, haxka - you need to hear this anyway, in case either of your little ones comes down with it - and he became much sicker than a Mikusobodo-jin would. It usually makes us ill for about a week and then it's gone, and it's seldom bad enough that we need to stay in bed. He was ill for three weeks, the first of which he spent entirely in bed, too sick to get up. He was so congested he could only barely breathe, he had a very high fever, and he could barely eat. Durama and I took turns watching over him and trying to help him be comfortable; the doctors couldn't do much to help since no Saiyan had ever gotten the disease before. The fourth night of his illness, I was sitting up with him. I was starting to doze off when I realized he'd stopped moaning and shuddering and, for a moment, I thought his fever had finally broken - but when I opened my eyes, I saw his face flushed deep red and turning blue! He wasn't breathing! I don't know what made me think of it, but I grabbed him quickly and flipped him onto his stomach with his head over the side of the bed, and gave his back a hard smack. He hacked out some phlegm and vomit, and then began breathing again. If I hadn't been there, he would've choked to death in his sleep. The worst of it was over by the end of that week, but he remained in a weakened state for two more weeks. It was fter he was finally and fully healthy again that he started calling us Harpena-Mama and Durama-Papa." Okarana fell silent, not knowing what to say.  
"It. . .would seem my people owe you an even greater debt than I originally imagined," Okarana said at last. "I suppose. . .so long as he remembers who he really is. . .and as long as he doesn't call you 'Mama' and 'Papa' in front of any other Saiyans, it's all right for him to call you that. For now," Okarana added.  
"Uh-huh," Durama said quietly. He figured that was as close as she could come to saying that Vegeta accepting them as surrogate parents was okay. An uneasy silence fell over them for a few moments, and then Durama cleared his throat. "Why are you and your boys hiding, anyway? And where is your husband? Or mate, or whatever word your prefer."  
"Come to think of it, Vegeta told us - and his books supported it - that Saiyans don't normally have families like we think of them," Harpena said thoughtfully. Okarana launched into her story again, telling them everything of importance, including details of the experiment of which she and Bardock had been a part.  
"Frieza just can't stand having people under his rule do something he can't control, can he?" Harpena remarked tersely when Okarana finished.  
"I'm starting to wonder about his true motives in wanting to have Saiyan children where he can easily reach them," Durama muttered, his face twisting lightly with disgust. The women pondered his comment for a moment, quickly glanced at each other, released twin shudders, and pushed the possibilities it raised out of their minds.  
"I'm sure it was just a matter of destroying the experiment," Okarana said, calm once again. "After all, you can't study the effects of family structures on warriors without families."  
"Yes, that must be it," Harpena nodded quickly.  
"And he probably wanted Vegeta just so he could try and ensure the boy's loyalty. I tell you, it's not easy convincing that kid to do something he doesn't want to," Durama added.  
"No doubt," Okarana agreed, and decided to shift the subject slightly. "Tell me, how are you making sure that Vegeta is receiving a proper Saiyan education? There are so many things he must learn before he can be King. . ."  
"When Vegeta was brought to us, we were also given a good-sized bag stuffed to overflowing with learning materials; books and holodiscs and papers. He's barely gotten through a fourth of it, and we make him study for seven hours a day, just as Supinchu told us to," Durama said.  
"Supinchu told you. . .Supinchu?! Supinchu of the Elite Royal Guard, Supinchu?!" Okarana cried out in surprise.  
"Well, yes. He's a friend of ours, and it seems your King chose him to smuggle your Prince to safety," Durama explained. "He gave us very specific instructions to follow in this matter, that the Prince needed to study for seven hours, and train for six. The hours would be adjusted as he grew older, I think the plan was."  
"Yes, that sounds right. Being King is as much about brains as it is brawn. But I'm still trying to figure out how you could possibly be friends with an Elite Saiyan; Elites tend to. . .well, _disrespect_ non- warrior races," Okarana strove for the most polite way to phrase the usual attitude Elites held. The most accurate description for most of them was that they viewed weaklings and non-warriors as pathetic scum that ought to be crushed beneath their boots in a timely manner.  
"We don't doubt that, but Supinchu is different. He. . .well, he's kind, and honorable. We honestly can't say why he became our friend, but he did. And we're grateful," Harpena said.  
"All right then. . ." Okarana observed slowly, still trying to figure it out in her own mind. Unable to come up with anything, she decided to move on. "The Prince doesn't seem to be studying or training right now," she said.  
"We let him have one day a week off to just relax and play. If he still wants to study and train instead, he can, but he has the option of doing otherwise," Durama explained quickly. "Getting ready to become King is important, but he should have time to just be a young boy, too."  
"Really, even when he does take advantage of our offer, he never takes the full day off. He'll study for a few hours in the morning, train for a few hours in the evening, and play for a while in the afternoon. Still, I've sometimes wondered if Vegeta will get all of the education he needs to be King here," Harpena said as she watched him from the window. "Though heaven knows, he doesn't lack leadership skills. . ." she noted aloud as she watched Vegeta quickly and efficiently organize the children around him into a new game. Within moments, all members of his team were following his every order and began scoring points quicker than the other team.  
"Well, I'll certainly do everything in my power to help him," Okarana said as she, too, watched the game. "As will Bardock, once he joins us here."  
"Yes, I'm sure. I certainly hope he can escape safely, and soon," Harpena said, and Okarana frowned at her for a moment. Pressing her lips into a tight, thin line, Okarana pulled Kakkarot into her lap and gently stroked his spiky black hair.  
"Bardock will be able to leave in a few weeks," the Saiyan woman said firmly. "Frieza won't care about one family of third-class Saiyans for very long; one family isn't enough for an experiment."  
"Yeah," Kakkarot said, though he didn't really understand the conversation.  
  
Bardock glared out the window of the ship in which he was riding. He didn't know why he'd been picked for this particular mission, and he didn't much care. It had been a little over a year since Okarana ran away with Raditz and Kakkarot; a little over a year that he'd lived alone, under near- constant surveillance. The watch on him had started a few days after his sons weren't brought to Frieza as ordered. It had taken him all of thirty minutes to determine that all of his quarter's communicators were bugged, and ten more to realize his scouter's transmissions were also being monitored. He actually had a strong feeling that they'd stopped actively listening to him months ago, but he dared not take the chance. Toma and the rest of his team had noticed that the loss of his family had a marked effect on the squad leader; he was withdrawn and moody much of the time, with his temper far shorter than it used to be. Things had only become worse after the mission to planet Kanassa, where Bardock had been brutally struck down by one of the natives. He had eventually recovered, but it had taken longer than it should have, and afterwards Bardock started having strange blackouts.  
Now, he rode on a ship, along with its multi-species crew, assigned to pick up a shipment of the mineral voanium from a planet he'd never heard of called Mikusobodo. A while back, he'd received orders to accompany the shipment by one of Frieza's lackeys. Bardock had little doubt this assignment was a punishment of some sort, since the ship was slow, there was no stasis sleep, and the distance was great. On top of which, he'd been cooped up with a group of warriors who all refused to spar with him - no doubt by Frieza's order - for nearly four months, and he was going a little stir crazy.  
"This voanium stuff. . .it really exists?" a curious Bardock asked one of his fellow shipmates who was sitting near by. The purple, noseless alien glanced at him with a light grin.  
"Sure does. Mikusobodo is the only known place where it's common. I hear once it's processed and mixed with another mineral so it isn't so damn fragile, Frieza uses it both as money and as components in his ships. I'll be damned if I know what components, but that's the rumor," the purple solider said. "Of course, I've also heard he has it fashioned into jewelry, or as a secret addition to our armor, or weapons. No one knows for sure what he does with it."  
"Uh-huh," Bardock grunted, already bored with the discussion. He would've happily settled with a "yes, it exists." While the myriad uses of such a rare mineral was of somewhat passing interest to the warrior, he wasn't inclined to listen to an endless list of unfounded rumors. He'd happily listen to factual answers, as long a there was proof to back them up, but otherwise, he didn't care.  
"We'll arrive in a few days," The purple warrior said in closing, sensing that Bardock wouldn't be interested in listening to any more talk of voanium. Bardock nodded absently, before walking off with his mind elsewhere.  
His thoughts drifted for a moment to his family, and he started to shove the thoughts away as he always did; but as his mind pictured his mate's beautiful face, the bond he shared with her tingled at him. He'd taken to ignoring the bond with everything he had in himself to stay sane, but now it made its presence known again; and for good reason. Bardock's heart sped up as he realized his mate was close, closer than she had been in over a year. With each passing moment, she felt a little closer. The possibility now shining before him sent fire through his veins; he could be heading right for his family's hiding place! The wave of excitement, relief, and happiness that passed over him was suddenly lost as the world around him faded. ((No, not now! I don't want to see anymore!)) Bardock pleaded quietly. He'd told only his trusted best friend Toma the truth, that his blackouts weren't blackouts; ever since the battle on Kanassa, he'd been plagued by visions of the future. Now, instead of the ship's interior, he saw his home world before him, glowing a warm red, welcoming and soothing to his soul as it always was. Then he heard Frieza's maniacal laughter, and the world before him blew apart in a series of blinding explosions, until all that was left were small stones and space dust. Bardock stifled a scream as he watched it happen again before his eyes, helpless to stop it. He'd seen this vision a few times before, but it still terrified him as much as it had the first time it had taken over his mind.  
"You and your kind are doomed to death, Saiyan! Just as we were! And just as we did, you will know what the future holds, and be unable to stop it!" growled the voice of the Kanassa-jin that had cursed him through the vision. The remains of the once proud planet of the Saiyans spun away into the void of space, and the vision mercifully blurred away. For a moment, Bardock was left in peaceful darkness before he came fully back to the present and the ship. Sweat prickled across his skin and he let out a long, shuddering sigh.  
"Vegeta-sei is going to die," he whispered to himself, feeling sick at heart. He felt certain from his visions that many Saiyans would still survive, but the knowledge that the Mother World would be so completely annihilated tore into his soul. He had tried to warn some of his fellow Saiyans, he had even sent a message to the King to tell him of Vegeta-sei's approaching destruction, but no one other than Toma believed him. Several started to think he'd gone mad, blaming the loss of his family as the reason behind his loss of sanity, which, to them, only proved having families was a weakness. Bardock was thoroughly disgusted with them, but at the same time, couldn't fully fault their conjecturing. Who wanted to believe that their destruction was so near? Even though they were building colonies on the chance that Frieza would turn on them, most steadfastly refused to believe it could really happen. But Bardock knew for a fact it would. He shoved the thoughts out of his mind and tried to re-focus on the present, where things could still be changed. ((In a few days,)) he told himself, ((I may very well see my mate and sons again. Hold onto that thought, soldier, and keep it close. The future isn't here yet.))  
  
Pick-Up day had finally arrived. From across Mikusobodo, dozens of specially made containers, four feet high by three feet wide by three feet deep, filled with the precious voanium, were brought to the designated area. A small crowd of people gathered, as always, to stand witness to the delivery. The ship landed early in the afternoon, and the soldiers aboard marched out in two straight lines, flanking the shipments. Bardock stood in the middle of the right-hand line, his eyes darting across the crowd. He was sure of it now, Okarana was on this planet! Their bond was all but singing to him of her closeness, but he didn't see her anywhere. He mentally swore as he realized how utterly moronic he was being. Of course she wasn't there! Even knowing that he was there, she would have to be an enormous fool to put herself in plain view, where other, more loyal, members of Frieza's armies could see her. As Bardock pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused on what was happening in front of him, one of his fellows, a green and blue-skinned reptile named Scales, opened one of the containers to visually confirm its inner contents. Each container was filled with five shelves, one on top of the other, that held twenty separate, padded cubicles, each holding a piece of sparkling, white-blue stone.  
"Very good! Lord Frieza will be pleased!" Scales said as he looked at the treasure. Some of the other soldiers started inspecting some of the other bins, and each came up satisfactorily. Bardock, figuring he might as well blend in, also opened a container to check out its contents. The stones inside were certainly interesting. Rough-hewn and raw, they had the look of only recently being pulled from the ground, but at the same time, caught the light and sparkled like they'd been highly polished. He very carefully picked up a small piece to get a better look at it, and felt it crack between his fingers. Surprised by the stone's brittleness, he dropped the piece back into place and looked at the cut pads of his fingers.  
"That's why they're in those padded holders; the stuff is really fragile until its properly processed," one of the other soldiers said to him casually. "Don't worry about it, no matter how many precautions we take, some are always broken by the time they reach Frieza. He won't know the difference." Bardock nodded in understanding and shut the container. As he absentmindedly licked the blood from his fingers, a Mikusobodo-jin man silently stepped forward to offer him a handkerchief with which to blot the blood. He took it, and arched an eyebrow at the way the man just stared at him.  
"Yes?" he said. In reply, the man darted his eyes down to the handkerchief, and back up to Bardock's face. Bardock's eyes followed the same path, and he noticed dark shadows on the piece of cloth. Flipping it over, he saw that it had the word "Okarana" and an address hastily written on it in black ink. He quickly closed the cloth in his fist and looked directly at the man, who gave him a friendly smile and stepped back, disappearing into the crowd.  
"Everything appears to be in order," Scales said authoritatively. "Get these boxes on board. We'll leave tomorrow. Or the day after. Four months is a long time to go without having any fun." The other soldiers cheered, and Bardock quickly joined them. He could use the extra time to locate his family. The containers were hastily, but carefully, loaded into the ship's cargo hold, and strapped down tightly. Once the ship was sealed and secured, the warriors prepared to set out for their "fun." There was no need to worry about guarding the ship, the Mikusobodo natives knew better than to try anything.  
"I've been here before, so I know where all the good bars and whorehouses are," announced a big, burly, ugly male with murky yellow skin, bug eyes, and four legs.  
"Sounds good! Come on, Bardock! You can't possibly want to stay with the ship after all of the complaining you did on the way here!" the purple alien he'd spoken with before said, looking at the Saiyan. Bardock grimaced; he couldn't stay on board or it would look strange, to say the least. He would have to accompany them, and then try to lose them when he could.  
  
It had taken hours, pretending to drink several drinks that he hadn't actually tasted, but Bardock had finally escaped from his fellow soldiers once they were all either too drunk to care or off with the first willing females they could find. He flew as fast as he could to the city named on the handkerchief and, when he finally reached it, flew through the streets searching for the right place. He followed his bond as much as the numbers on the homes, the feeling of his mate growing closer all the time. Finally, he came to a halt in front of a high building. He didn't need to check the address he'd been given, he could feel her just above him. He moved so fast that a momentary blur was all anyone close by saw. As he reached out to open the door, the silence in the bond ended with one explosive mental cry.  
((BARDOCK!)) the door flew open and an elated Okarana threw herself into his solid form. His arms snapped around her tightly, and he quickly pulled her back inside, closing the door quickly behind them.  
((Okarana! My Okarana! I've missed you!)) Bardock said into her mind as he smiled at her. Then he kissed her deeply in joy.  
((I've missed you as well! What happened? Why did it take so long?)) Okarana asked quickly, and then drew out the knowledge of what all had happened to him after she left from his mind. ((Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't think it through as well as I should have!))  
((It's not as though you had a great deal of time to prepare.)) Bardock replied. "Now, where are. . .?" he started to ask out loud, right before their two boys went running up to him.  
"Father!" "Father!" they both cried out as they scrambled up to him. Bardock fell to his knees in front of them to be at eye-level with them.  
"Look how tall you've both gotten!" Bardock said quietly as he gazed at his two boys. "Have you both been training? And minding your mother?"  
"Yes, Father!" affirmed Raditz.  
"We practice every day," Kakkarot confirmed happily, "with Vegeta!" Bardock's face fell.  
"With. . .who. . .?" he started slowly.  
"With me," Vegeta said as he walked into the room, with Harpena and Durama a short ways behind him. "You must be Bardock. Hello." Bardock froze to the spot, much as Okarana had a year before.  
"P-P-Prince Vegeta?!" Bardock gasped, then quickly bowed his head. Vegeta smirked, then chuckled. "What - how - ?!" Bardock stumbled over his words as he looked first at his long-lost Prince, and then spotted the couple behind him. "You! You're the one who gave me this address!" he said to Durama.  
"Durama Munote, at your service," Durama said with a grin. "My wife and I have been taking care of your Prince for the last five years. A few days ago, Okarana said she felt her mate getting closer, and when the pick- up ship arrived, I went to investigate. Sure enough, there you were - not only the only Saiyan there, but Okarana wasn't kidding all those times she said Kakkarot looks just like you!"  
"She certainly wasn't," Harpena agreed. Bardock was at a total loss for several moments, and then smiled himself. He wanted to laugh out loud at the sheer irony of the situation; Frieza sent him on this mission as a means of punishment and had instead blessed him by reuniting him with his family and bringing him to his Prince.  
"We need to think, and quickly - I have to come up with some plausible excuse to stay here," Bardock said. "My leaving and coming back in secret will take too damn long." With that, they fell into a conversation that lasted long into the night.  
  
The next day, Bardock sent a message by courier that he needed to stay behind for a while longer, as there was "a local he needed to spend more time with." His shipmates, figuring he meant he needed to beat the hell out of someone or wanted to get laid a few more times, agreed to go on ahead and leave behind a spare pod for him. Frieza was impatient these days, and didn't want to wait any longer than necessary for his goods to be delivered. Besides, the pod could move faster than the ship, so there weren't any foreseeable problems in Bardock's using it to catch up with them later. Some days later, they picked up a routine signal from Bardock's pod, which was on its way to rendezvous with the larger ship. But with just an hour's time left to docking, Bardock's voice came over the loudspeakers, snarling something about a small meteor appearing out of nowhere, and the pod's signal disappeared. Assuming the worst had happened, the rest of the crew decided to move on, knowing Frieza wouldn't care about the loss of one measly Saiyan, and since Bardock had no known family anymore, no one else would, either. Frieza, none the wiser, got his precious voanium shipment on time. Now safe and sound on Mikusobodo with his family, Bardock began learning how to hide. Deep down, the Saiyan knew, somehow, that they would all be there for a long time to come. **************************************************************************** ** I know this is moving slowly, but things really kick into gear in the next chapter! I swear!  
  
Haxka - combination of the sounds "hacks" and "coughs."  
  
NansJns@aol.com NansJns@sa-tech.com 


	5. WaySaiyans5

DBZ isn't mine. "Bring Me To Life" isn't mine, either - it belongs to Evanescense. I'm sorry this chapter took so darn long to get out; writer's block was kicking my rump. I will try to get the next one out faster! Thanks, as always, to my great beta-buddy, Holly! **************************************************************************** ** The Ways of the Saiyans by NansJns  
  
Ch.5: "Blue Lady."  
  
Bulma Briefs pushed the stack of files away from herself with a small, tired sigh. She'd been going over marketing and technical data for hours to prepare for her meeting with the potential new investors on planet Pairo-sei, while also sneaking in some review of her latest schematics for new machines. She'd finally had enough for this particular day, however, and decided to call it quits, setting the papers aside for another time. She leaned forward, resting her forearms upon the cool metal desk before her and fixed her eyes vacantly on the star-filled window a few feet beyond, letting her mind wander. Bulma and her best friend, Chi-Chi, were on a transport ship, the SS Star Streamer, heading to Pairo-sei to close the deal Bulma's company, Capsule Corp., was making with Pairo-sei's biggest company, Fuureimu Corp. Bulma felt confident enough to handle the entire negotiation by herself, so she hadn't brought any other staff members with her. Chi-Chi had asked to tag along with her; partly out of curiosity about space travel and other worlds, partly to keep Bulma company and, though neither would openly admit it, as an unofficial bodyguard. Chi- Chi was one of the strongest people - humans, more accurately - Bulma knew, and she knew how to use her strength when necessary. Not that Bulma or Chi- Chi was expecting trouble, but a little paranoia never hurt, especially when traveling through Frieza's space. Better safe than sorry.  
"Hey, are you finished?" Chi-Chi asked, poking her black-haired head into the room.  
"Oh, yeah, you'd better believe it! Maybe I should have brought along some extra hands after all. I know all this stuff, but I'd much rather be working on my new inventions than re-hashing all of this business data for the umpteenth time," Bulma admitted with a long stretch, the movement coaxing her medium-length hair into a shining, light blue cascade behind her back.  
"I wish I could help you with that stuff, but it's not _my_ company. I wouldn't know the first thing about how a business like yours works," Chi- Chi observed with a small shrug, as she walked up to her friend. She was dressed in her workout shirt and pants and had her long black hair tied back in a ponytail.  
"I know. Frankly, I wouldn't want to push this headache onto you, anyway," Bulma answered casually.  
"I was about to head down to the gym for a little practice and then a swim. Want to come with?" Chi-Chi asked with a cheerful smile, which Bulma readily returned.  
"Yeah! That sounds real good right now!" the blue-haired genius said. With that, Bulma gladly left behind the work on her desk to go and change into some clothes more appropriate for exercise and a swim.  
  
"I still find it kind of hard to believe that it's only been ten years since Frieza's men came to Earth," Chi-Chi observed as the two women walked down the passageway toward the gym, passing some of the non-human crew as they went. "Feels longer."  
"It sure does. Thank Kami he didn't have any immediate buyers for our planet and that he doesn't pay much attention to us otherwise," Bulma agreed quietly. She was all too well aware that the only reason the human race had been spared thus far was because there wasn't anyone else willing to buy their home planet yet.  
"It's a miracle he hasn't found out about the. . ._machines_. . . you're developing," Chi-Chi said, dropping her voice a little lower to not be overheard. Not that there was anyone close by at that moment to overhear, but it didn't hurt to be a little cautious when it came to Frieza.  
"No shit," Bulma whispered. "I really hated letting him have the capsule technology. I'm not letting him have anything else if I can help it."  
"And to think there are billions of people out there who'd say you're insane to try to hide stuff from Frieza and his men," Chi-Chi murmured. "As if that would really make a difference; he kills who he wants, when he wants, no matter what they may or may not have done to and for him in the past."  
"Exactly. All of his promises of safety for those who cooperate with him are utterly worthless and everyone knows it!" Bulma said hotly. They had arrived at the gym by then and strolled over to the practice mats that were stacked in one corner.  
"Just look at what happened to the Saiyans," Chi-Chi added quietly as they picked up the top mats and put them on the floor. "From all accounts, they served Frieza's family willingly enough for a handful of generations, and then one day eight years ago,. . ."  
"Frieza decides he doesn't like them any more and. . .boom! No more Vegeta-sei and almost no more Saiyans!" Bulma nodded. "I've also heard that the few who managed to survive the destruction were forced to continue doing Frieza's dirty work."  
"Disgusting!" Chi-Chi huffed. "All right, we're all set up here," she said, once again at a normal volume level. She stepped onto the flat mats and began her kata. Bulma stood a few feet from her and began her own movements. Since Frieza's invasion of their planet, she'd made a point to learn some self-defense techniques, but ended up not learning as much as she could have - she was still more interested in her inventions.  
The two women worked out for an hour before they finally hit the pool. They decided it was time to judiciously abandon the gym right after Chi-Chi accidentally punched a hole through the punching bag that was provided. It would have been a more impressive show of strength if some of the other members of the crew didn't regularly destroy at least three punching bags every night. Bulma surmised that, by the way that the bags kept being broken, they had most likely been made by the lowest bidder, anyway. The two women were just emerging from the pool's lightly warmed water when the emergency klaxon began to blare.  
"What the--?" Bulma started. An explosion suddenly rocked the ship, pitching her and Chi-Chi back into the pool. For a moment, the violent shaking of the ship kept either of them from being able to fully surface and get some air. The second there was stability again, the two women scrambled back out of the pool quickly, coughing and sputtering, and ran to the changing rooms, as much to keep from being thrown back into the pool as to change. A second explosion ripped into the ship as Bulma and Chi-Chi tried to get into their clothes. They nearly lost their footing again as they felt the ship abruptly change course beneath them. The transport ship trembled ever so slightly under their feet as it returned fire.  
"It must be pirates!" Chi-Chi shouted over the still-wailing klaxon as she hastily pulled on her shirt. There had been reports of several attacks by space pirates on transport ships over the last few years; millions of zenis' worth of property had been stolen and tragically, a number of people had been killed or injured.  
"Of all the luck! They _would_ attack my ship!" Bulma grumbled as she struggled into her pants, the ship shaking again as an enemy shot grazed the hull.  
"Ms. Briefs! Ms. Ox! Are you still in here?" a voice suddenly called, and a young woman, one of the crew, came running up to them. "We're under attack by pirates! You two need to get to one of the Safe Rooms without delay!" she shouted as the ship shuddered violently upon receiving another successful hit. The Safe Rooms were special, heavily armored rooms in the ship in which passengers could be secured in case of emergencies, like pirate attacks.  
"We figured as much," Bulma answered testily. "Let's go!" The three women ran out of the gym and started down the passageway, when the ship was nearly sent tumbling end over end. At the same time, the sound of dozens of tiny pieces of debris striking the hull could be dimly heard. The klaxon was finally switched off and the PA system crackled back to life.  
"Attention, all crew and passengers! The enemy ship has been destroyed!" the ship's captain declared. Sighs of relief abounded from all aboard. "Unfortunately, we have taken on heavy damage to our engines and to decks three and four. We will have to dock at the nearest friendly planet for repairs. Fortunately, there's a planet we can reach within the next two days with the little engine power we have remaining. According to the star charts, it's called Mikusubodo. Once we make landfall, we'll affect the major repairs we can't do on our own."  
"Well, since the emergency has passed, I suppose I don't need to take you to the Safe Rooms anymore. If you ladies will excuse me, I'll return to duty now," the crew woman said, looking as relieved as she sounded. Bulma and Chi-Chi thanked her and she went on her way.  
"Well, at least we're not stranded," Bulma observed as people started moving through the passageways again, many with tool cases in hand to fix whatever they could.  
"I've never heard of Mikusubodo," Chi-Chi said as she and Bulma headed back to their quarters.  
"I think I've read about it. It's a small planet, nothing really special about it, except that it is also part of Frieza's vast territory," Bulma said thoughtfully, casting her mind back in an effort to try and recall what she'd heard about the planet.  
"Well, maybe we'll get lucky and find something interesting there to help kill time while the ship is being repaired," Chi-Chi said with a shrug.  
"If we're lucky!" Bulma agreed with a grin.  
  
The SS Star Streamer made a rougher-than-usual landing on the pad that sat outside the spiraling Mikusubodo capital city. The repair team that had been signaled ahead of time quickly moved in to start fixing the damage. Bulma and Chi-Chi disembarked and breathed deeply of the fresh, non-recycled air. The sky and plants weren't the colors they were used to, but it still felt good to be planet-side again and standing on solid ground. Her mechanical curiosity overwhelming her for a moment, Bulma stopped to look over the outside damage of the ship, which was far more extensive than she'd expected. Several large, deep, jagged holes were torn into the metal and the edges of the holes were blackened from the extreme heat of the pirates' blasts.  
"It's going to take a few days to replace all of the outer plating alone," one Mikusubodo-jin mechanic observed aloud as he surveyed the damage. "The engine will probably take longer."  
"Great. At least this seems like a nice place to stay for a while," Bulma sighed in deep annoyance.  
"Oh, it is, Miss! There's plenty to see and do here! I'm sure you and your companion will find something fun to while away the time," the mechanic answered, flashing a quick smile. Bulma and Chi-Chi smiled back politely.  
"I'm sure we will," Bulma replied, as she and Chi-Chi moved away to let him work.  
"We might as well explore," Chi-Chi said.  
"Might as well," Bulma agreed with a nod, then fished into the bag that was attached to the belt around her waist. "Let me see, I have a hover car in a capsule here, so transport's no problem, but let's hit a gift shop first and get a map," Bulma suggested, and they headed off into the space port's main terminal to hopefully locate a gift shop.  
After studying their purchased map for a few minutes, and asking a few natives for advice, the two Earth women decided to head for an outdoor concert being held in a park a few miles away. The native Mikusubodo-jins to whom they had spoken had given the performing band a pretty good review, and it was the most interesting thing happening close by at the moment. Bulma and Chi-Chi stepped out to the street and Bulma pulled a small capsule out of her bag. She pressed the button on top, gave the capsule a small toss, and the car appeared with the customary small bang and large puff of smoke. Several Mikusubodo-jins stopped to stare at the amazing sight. The expressions on their faces made Bulma smile thinly and without amusement.  
"Looks like Frieza hasn't been sharing the capsule technology with everyone," she observed as she and Chi-Chi got into their car and fastened their seatbelts. Somehow, that didn't really surprise her much. Frieza wasn't one to share something he saw of value.  
"Hasn't even told many people about it, I'd wager," Chi-Chi said as she glanced at the Mikusubodo-jins that were still looking at them in surprise.  
"Greedy lizard," Bulma grumbled as she turned the key and hit the gas.  
The concert wasn't hard to find; within a block of the venue, traffic had to be re-routed on the street so that people could safely walk into the park from where they left their vehicles. Bulma and Chi-Chi simply got out of their car at the first roadblock, capsulized it again, then headed toward the nearest ticket booth. The crowd wasn't enormous, but it was of a fair size, over a hundred people, at least. According to the people at the spaceport to whom they had spoken, the featured band was regarded as fairly new and was still in the process of generating a local fan base. For Bulma and Chi-Chi, this wasn't all that bad a thing, for there were plenty of tickets still available, though the show was scheduled to start in only a few minutes.  
With their tickets in hand, Bulma and Chi-Chi began to weave their way through the crowd to try and get a good view of the relatively small stage. Since it was a concert in a public park, there weren't any actual seats provided for the audience, just some folding chairs some people had brought with them, and a few park benches that weren't in the right place or position to see the stage.  
"I don't suppose you have any capsules in that bag of yours with furniture in them? I didn't think to bring any like that," Chi-Chi asked as they moved through the crowd.  
"Not really. The closest thing I have is a small house and that would certainly take up too much space," Bulma shrugged.  
"An entire _house_?" Chi-Chi said, arching an eyebrow in amusement. "Just how often do you need that?"  
"Almost never, I admit. But it never hurts to be prepared!" Bulma answered with a grin, laughter twinkling in her eyes. She looked around at where they were and realized they had about as good a view of the stage as they were likely to get. "Hold on! This is a good spot," she said. Chi- Chi looked about her as well, and nodded.  
"As good as we'll get after arriving so late," Chi-Chi noted. They settled in quickly and claimed their place. Then Chi-Chi noticed a vendor selling chilled drinks not too far away. "Hey, I'm going to go grab a drink. You want one?"  
"Sure; here's a few zeni for mine," Bulma said, handing her friend the money. Chi-Chi half-jogged over to the vendor, but before she could reach him, someone else stepped in front of her. Chi-Chi barely stopped in time to keep from crashing into the young man's wide back. Normally, Chi- Chi would've found such a situation a little annoying, but this time, she was too surprised to be annoyed. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, heavily muscled, and had a head of wild black hair that spiked out in front of his head and behind it. As he turned his head to the side at something he'd heard, she saw a lean, handsome face with wide, dark eyes, a narrow nose, and full lips. She didn't quite notice how his nostrils flared for a moment, sniffing the air. Chi-Chi was momentarily struck dumb as she looked at the handsome stranger, who was obviously not, as some part of her mind that was still functioning told her, a native Mikusubodo-jin. He suddenly turned around to look at her, as if realizing another off-worlder was standing behind him, and their eyes locked.  
  
Bulma stood, feeling a touch impatient while waiting for her friend to return with their drinks, and the show to start. Standing on her tiptoes to peer over the sea of heads, she could see Chi-Chi talking to someone who wasn't the drink vendor. ((Who's that?)) she wondered idly.  
"Excuse me," a deep voice rumbled through the crowd as a figure pushed his way toward the stage. "Let me through, 'please', I need to get to the stage. Excuse me - excu. . .blue?" The surprise in the male voice as it said "blue" was enough to make Bulma turn towards the sound, and she found herself looking into the darkest eyes she'd ever seen. The man she faced was just a little shorter than she was, but with long black hair that stood straight up like a crown of black fire that made him look taller. He had a compact, muscular build that could be seen through the blue t-shirt and black pants he wore, with richly tanned skin, angular black eyes, and a look of surprise on his handsome face that was almost amusing. His expression quickly shifted into a look of wary curiosity, as he seemed to be sizing her up. "You're not a Mikusubodo-jin," he observed flatly, his eyes flickering between curious and concerned.  
"No. And neither are you, I take it," Bulma answered as coolly as she could. This guy was gorgeous and her heart beat a little faster than normal when he spoke to her. He gave a short nod in answer to her question, his face clearly thoughtful.  
Vegeta knew he had smelled aliens nearby, something that was neither Mikusubodo-jin nor Saiyan, but he hadn't quite expected _this_. On the plus side, this female was clearly not one of Frieza's lackeys. From the looks of it, she was nowhere near strong enough and her clothes were obviously not meant for battle. The snug white top and jeans were far too flimsy to be for anything other than show, and he took a moment to enjoy the sight of her appealing curves.  
"So, what planet are you from?" Bulma said, trying to get him talking again. She had noticed he was carrying equipment for the stage - a _lot_ of equipment; more than most people would've been able to carry alone. He was clearly very strong; but who was he, and where did he come from, and why was he here? Her mind was abuzz with questions. He gave her a guarded look in response to her question.  
"Where are _you_ from?" he asked. "Does Frieza rule there?"  
"Earth," Bulma answered, annoyed that he had merely answered her question with another. "And, yes, unfortunately, Frieza rules us. . ." she paused then, looking at his reserved stance. It had relaxed a bit for a moment when he was looking at her, but it tensed back up stronger than before when she had admitted that Frieza controlled her world. "All right, how about this? My name is Bulma Briefs. What's yours?" He tilted his head to the side, seemingly contemplating his answer. Bulma decided to take a chance and leaned closer to him, surprising him greatly. He valued his personal space and very few people were allowed to get close to him. Oddly, he didn't feel any desire to step back or push her away. "I have no loyalty to Frieza, if that's what you're afraid of," she whispered to him. "Who are you?" He still looked at her with heavy suspicion, but his mouth moved to respond.  
"Geta. Call me Geta," he said quietly.  
"There now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Bulma asked as she pulled back. She had meant for her comment to be teasing and flirtatious, but it didn't come across that way. Her harmless banter only made his dark eyebrows fork down in annoyance. "And what planet are you from?" she pressed on, hoping he wasn't as angry as he looked. His frown deepened.  
"That's none of your business," he said, his voice suddenly cold, his now-heightened defenses causing his dark eyes to glint like polished stones.  
"Well, there's no need to be rude about it!" Bulma snapped. "I told you where I was from! Was it so wrong of me to expect a fair exchange?"  
"What difference does it make to you, _onna_?" Vegeta snapped in return.  
"I'm just curious, is all!" Bulma answered, her voice rising.  
"And I don't feel like telling you!" Vegeta said, raising his own voice to match hers.  
"What a jerk!" Bulma huffed and whipped around to look at the stage again. Through the haze of her anger, she quietly harbored the suspicion that he was hiding from something, or someone - Frieza, most likely. It was the best, if not the only, explanation for his defensiveness. He sure was handsome, though; if he only was a little nicer. . .((Geta. . .I wonder what that's short for, if anything. . .)) she thought. She also still wanted answers to her questions. Once Bulma was curious and interested in something, she seldom gave up on it until she was satisfied.  
"Nosy, loud onna," Vegeta muttered quietly as he began to push through the crowd toward the stage again. He glanced over his shoulder a few times at the blue-haired female, quietly pondering at her courage (or foolishness) in arguing with someone she must have known was stronger than she was -she'd seen the equipment he was carrying for his foster siblings. ((Bulma Briefs from Earth. . .)) the sparse information rolled around in his head, along with visions of her lovely face and her sparkling eyes full of blue fire.  
  
Chi-Chi and the tall, spiky-haired man stared at each other for a long moment before Chi-Chi broke eye contact and felt a small blush creep into her cheeks. She glanced back up and was taken back for a moment by the suspicious look that was flickering across the man's face.  
"Um. . .hello," she said. "I couldn't help noticing. ah, are you an off-worlder, too?"  
"Yes. . ." he said slowly. "What are you doing here?"  
"Our ship was damaged by pirates, so we were forced to stop here for repairs. My friend and I were told about this concert and decided to come to kill some time. What are you doing here?" Chi-Chi answered. He seemed to relax a little bit and carelessly shrugged.  
"Nothing much, just came to listen," he said. Chi-Chi arched an eyebrow at that and pressed forward.  
"My name's Chi-Chi. What's yours?" she asked, offering up a friendly smile. For a moment, it seemed he wouldn't answer, but his mouth twitched into a smile to match hers before he could stop himself.  
"I'm Kakkarot," he said, dropping his voice a bit lower as if not to be overheard. "Where are you from, Chi-Chi?" he asked then, his eyes flickering with curiosity. Just like Vegeta, Kakkarot and his family had noticed the smell of non-Mikusubodo-jins in the crowd. But he couldn't believe that this small female could possibly be working for Frieza; not with her low power level and lack of armor. She was only wearing a thin, green cloth shirt and blue jeans, most assuredly not the clothes of someone in Frieza's employ.  
"Earth," she replied cheerfully, glad that he seemed to be relaxing and was willing to talk to her. "And you, Kakkarot?"  
"Nowhere worth mentioning," he quickly said, hoping he managed to keep the tiny twinge of guilt and pain the lie brought him from showing anywhere in his face. Chi-Chi's smile faltered at his second blatant dodge of her questions.  
"Go ahead and tell me anyway," she said carefully. "Earth isn't considered all that important by most, either," she added. Kakkarot's smile fell completely.  
"Really, it's not worth naming. You won't know it," he said, a bit more coldly.  
"Had you ever heard of Earth before?" she answered, her ire building. Kakkarot gave a small, guilty headshake "no." "Then we'll be even." He stared into her eyes intently for a long moment, clearly debating with himself. "Is. . .something wrong with where you're from?" Chi-Chi asked quietly, suddenly filled with a mixture of concern and curiosity.  
"No!" Kakkarot said quickly. "I just. . .can't tell you. . . not yet. . .I mean. . ." Kakkarot shook his head and gave a small wave of his hand as he struggled for a good answer. He'd never had trouble sticking with the story his parents had made up to explain who they were and where they were from before, but when he looked into this woman's dark brown eyes, his thoughts scattered messily and he had trouble finding answers that didn't raise more questions.  
"What are you talking about?" Chi-Chi asked, starting to get really confused and annoyed.  
"Well, I. . ." Kakkarot started, but was saved from having to finish his sentence by a heavy hand falling on his shoulder.  
"Brother, what is taking so long? Don't you have our drinks yet?" Raditz asked his brother in a rough, demanding voice. Kakkarot turned to face him calmly and Raditz glanced with curiosity past his younger brother to Chi-Chi. She was momentarily startled by Raditz's physique; he was very tall, head-and-shoulders taller than Kakkarot, who was already a head taller than Chi-Chi. He was even more heavily muscled than Kakkarot, giving him a somewhat bulky appearance, and had dark skin and very long, wild, spiky black hair. His face was handsome, like his brother's, but his eyes were much colder and harder. His entire demeanor was one of distrust and suspicion and he frowned at her with a look in his eyes that was more than a bit chilling.  
"Sorry, I got. . .distracted," Kakkarot said to answer his brother's inquiry. "This, ah, is Chi-Chi. She was on that ship everyone's talking about that was attacked by pirates." Chi-Chi didn't have enough time to wonder how people could be talking about her ship when it had only just arrived twenty minutes or so ago, and the official story hadn't gotten into the news or anything yet, before Kakkarot's brother spoke again.  
"Is that so? Well, it's nice to meet you, I'm sure, but the show's about to start, and we need to get back to our companions," Raditz said, and began to drag his brother away.  
"Maybe we could talk later," Kakkarot said quickly, digging in his heels to keep from being moved.  
"Sure!" Chi-Chi agreed. "How about at that little cafe across the street?" She pointed to a small building with tables in front of it where people were sitting and eating.  
"All right - when?" Kakkarot asked, as Raditz doubled his efforts to pull his brother away. Kakkarot began to comply and the younger Saiyan was rapidly dragged into the crowd.  
"After the show?" Chi-Chi suggested.  
"Okay!" he said before his brother pulled him completely out of Chi- Chi's sight.  
"Brother, what in Kami's name do you think you're doing?!" Raditz demanded sharply as he hauled his brother back to where their parents were waiting.  
"What? She doesn't work for Frieza," Kakkarot said defensively. "And you saw her; she's beautiful."  
"You are an _idiot_! How do you know she doesn't work for Frieza? His minions don't have name tags, you know!" Raditz answered in a small fury. "And there are times they don't wear armor, either!" Kakkarot frowned at him, but realized his older brother was right.  
"She wasn't strong enough," he said in his defense. "She has some power, but nowhere near enough to be even a low-level solider."  
"So she might be a scientist or a doctor or a spy!" Raditz answered testily as they reached the spot where their parents were waiting.  
"What are you two fighting about now?" Bardock cut in then, glaring at his boys. The two of them argued frequently and it got tiresome after a while. Secretly, Bardock suspected that Raditz was, for some reason, jealous of Kakkarot, but why he would be was beyond the older Saiyan. It was really quite strange, considering the fact that Kakkarot respected and cared for his older sibling a great deal.  
"This _baka_ brain was making a date with a young woman from the ship that came in a short while ago," Raditz answered hotly. The Saiyans all made a point to listen carefully for any news of ships coming in, so they would know when to make themselves scarce. They even had a small scanner tuned to listen into all the local landing areas so they'd be the first to know when anything arrived; it was the only reason they knew a damaged ship had come in a short while ago. They had thought, however, that being at the concert with their kis pushed down would hide them from most of Frieza's soldiers and spies. They all hated hiding, but they had little choice.  
"He was doing _what_?!" Bardock snapped, louder than he had intended.  
"Kakkarot, what were you thinking?!" Okarana said.  
"She wasn't one of Frieza's followers! She was much too weak!" Kakkarot defended himself again. "And I didn't notice her until she was right behind me. . .she was downwind. . ." he felt his excuses begin to falter and he sagged just a tiny bit. "I don't know what I was doing, all right? But it was pretty obvious she had no idea what I was or where I was from."  
"Thank Kami for small mercies! Kakkarot, I thought you _knew_ better!" Okarana said, still agitated over her youngest son's carelessness.  
"What did _she_ look like?" Bardock asked. Kakkarot wasn't one to lose his head over something as simple as a brief encounter with a strange female, but many was the male caught unawares by an unknown beauty.  
"She was beautiful," Kakkarot answered quickly. "Actually, I'd have almost thought she was a Saiyan, but she didn't have a tail and her features weren't quite right. They were too. . ." he paused for a moment to try and find the right word, "Soft."  
"She _was_ quite attractive," Raditz agreed, grudgingly. "And Kakkarot's right, her coloring was similar to that of a Saiyan. It certainly wasn't that of a native!" Mikusubodo-jin's skin varied from vivid yellow to rich red, and all shades of orange in between, sometimes even coming close to what a Saiyan would consider a "normal" skin color, which made fully peach skin like Chi-Chi's highly noticeable.  
"She was friendly, too," Kakkarot added quietly, not really sure he wanted to be heard. "But I'd bet she has a temper, judging from the annoyed look in her eyes when I wouldn't answer her."  
  
Vegeta delivered the equipment as he'd been asked and watched as the stagehands scurried around the stage setting it up. Mere minutes from show time, the crew had discovered that two pieces of equipment, a microphone stand and a cable for Fululy's electric guitar, were missing, on top of which three of the speakers weren't working properly. Those items had to be immediately replaced with spares, as there was no time to test the defective ones to find out what was wrong. Vegeta normally didn't do such lowly work, but it was an emergency and he was the strongest person available who could get all of the replacements up to the stage at once. If Kakkarot or Raditz had been with him, he would've sent one of them to fetch what was needed, but they were in the crowd somewhere.  
"Thanks loads, Geta, you're a lifesaver!" Sasu said from behind the curtain that hid most of the stage from the audience.  
"You're welcome," Vegeta answered distractedly. He found himself scanning the crowd, looking for a blue head of hair.  
"I checked all of this equipment two days ago! How could so much of it fail?" Durama's voice grumbled.  
"Bad luck, I guess. At least there were spares!" Harpena's lowered voice answered him.  
"So, who was that you were fighting with?" Fululy asked suddenly and Vegeta snapped his head around to look at the curtain.  
"What-? How did you--?!" Vegeta sputtered. His argument with the Earth female hadn't been so loud that they could have heard it on the stage, not through the rest of the crowd's noise!  
"We couldn't hear what you actually said," Fululy added then, as if she'd read his mind. "But we were peeking around the curtain and saw you arguing with someone."  
"We couldn't see clearly who it was, though; too many people in the way," Tammibo added in then. "I thought it looked like a woman with blue hair, but that can't be right."  
"It is. She is a passenger on a ship came in a short while ago, that had been damaged by pirates. I happened to bump into her while I was trying to reach the stage," Vegeta explained quietly, privately annoyed at having to share the encounter with anyone so soon. He'd wanted to keep this chance meeting to himself, at least for a while, so he could decide what to do about it on his own. He'd heard about the ship coming in on his scanner, and he assumed she must have been one it. "We. . .started talking and she was angry when I wouldn't answer her questions after she answered mine."  
"So why didn't you just feed her the usual story you guys made up?" asked Sasu. All the Saiyans had worked out a stock story to tell strangers years ago, just to make things easier - no worries about contradicting each other, or being unable to come up with a believable lie quickly.  
"Sometimes, I just get tried of all the lies," Vegeta answered, bristling. Over the years living on this alien world, he'd felt perilously close to losing his Saiyan self many times, but always fought back against those feelings to regain what he thought he'd nearly lost. He made a conscious effort to hold close the pride of his true identity and heritage at all times. The story he and his fellow Saiyans had concocted for the rare incidents when one of them was found by a visiting off-worlder worked well enough, but inwardly he loathed lying about who he was and where he was from. When he'd been speaking to the blue-haired woman, Bulma, something in him had flatly refused to lie to her.  
"I don't blame you, but not answering at all isn't very wise, either; it'll only raise more suspicions," Fululy observed gently. She loved Vegeta like a brother, as did both her siblings, and she knew how much lying about his past pained him, but she also knew it was a necessity.  
"I doubt, somehow, she would think to _be_ suspicious, at least of the real truth," Vegeta answered, tilting himself to one side as he finally spotted the earth woman in question again. "I think she'll mostly just be angry with me." He couldn't explain why, but he had the distinct feeling she wouldn't have recognized his real name even if he had given it.  
"But can you be _sure_?" Durama asked, joining the conversation. Before Vegeta could answer his foster-father, the announcer for the show suddenly stepped onto the stage, a cordless microphone in hand.  
"That's our cue!" Sasu said quickly and Vegeta moved away from the stage as he heard his foster family take their places behind the curtain.  
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome and thank you for coming!" The announcer declared in a boisterous voice. "We're sorry for the delay, there were minor technical difficulties! But now, without further ado, I present to you the hottest new up-and-coming band on Mikusubodo, the Munotes!" The crowd applauded and cheered happily as the curtain finally opened to reveal the five members of the Munote family: Harpena on drums, Tammibo on keyboard, Fululy and Sasu on electric guitars, and Durama on a synthesizer. The Munote "children" were now all in their twenties - Sasu was tall and wiry, though still not as tall as Raditz, with short, ruffled, dark red- orange hair. Fululy was slender, and close to being truly short, but was elegant and had a presence that made her seem taller. Her butter-yellow hair was long and thick and tied back by a sparkling hair tie the same color as her orange eyes. Tammibo was a little taller than her sister but still shorter than her brother and had a slim, but well-rounded, build. Her red hair was cut somewhat short, ending just above her shoulders, and was tied back with a diamond-shaped hair clip that boasted a small piece of voanium in its center. To open their set, Tammibo began playing a deceptively soothing tune on her keyboard and several audience members' eyes filled with eager anticipation of what they knew was coming. Fululy started singing in the same deceptively soft tone:  
  
"How can you see into my eyes like open doors Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb. . ."  
  
The music suddenly picked up and turned to a heavier rock beat as the others began singing as well:  
  
"Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
  
Until you find it there and lead it back home. . .  
  
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside (I can't wake up) Wake me up inside (Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark! (Wake me up) Bid my blood to run (I can't wake up) Before I come undone (Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become. . .!"  
  
By the time the chorus was sung the second time, the bulk of the audience was dancing, or at least moving, to the beat. Bulma and Chi-Chi were amongst the dancers, though their dancing was mostly from the waist up, as they were afraid they'd lose their spot if they danced too far away from it. As she moved to the music, Bulma thought she caught a glimpse of "Geta" in the crowd, but when she looked again, he was gone. Her curiosity pricked at her again, as her mind filled with questions about the handsome stranger once more.  
The concert went for a little over an hour before it finally finished with a heart-pounding dance beat sung by Tammibo. By that time, the majority of the audience was almost as breathless as the performers from their dancing. Bulma and Chi-Chi cheered and applauded happily with everyone else as the band took their final bows.  
"Thank you, everyone!" Tammibo said into her microphone as the rest of her family also called out thanks.  
"I hope you enjoyed our show! There are flyers available listing our future concert dates, so make sure to pick one up!" Sasu said, pointing to the table with the flyers that sat roughly forty feet from the stage. Several people went to retrieve copies of the flyers, but Chi-Chi set off in the opposite direction, toward the cafe across the street.  
"Chi-Chi, where are you headed?" Bulma said as she followed behind her dark-haired friend.  
"That cafe," Chi-Chi answered, pointing to the nearby restaurant. Then she realized she hadn't had the chance to tell Bulma of her chance meeting with Kakkarot or her arrangement to meet with him again.  
"Oh, you're hungry too? I was going to suggest we find someplace to eat," Bulma observed cheerfully.  
"Well, yes and no. . .when I went to get our drinks, I bumped into this guy and we agreed to meet at the cafe after the concert to talk," Chi- Chi explained with a small blush.  
"Oh. . .you're meeting up with a Mikusubodo-jin?" Bulma asked in surprise.  
"Actually, he's not a Mikusubodo-jin. . .I'm not entirely sure what he is. But he seemed really nice, and he's really tall, with spiky black hair, big, dark, warm eyes. . .and the body of a Greek god!" Chi-Chi answered in a flustered rush.  
"Wait, wait - what do you mean you don't know _what_ he is? Didn't he tell you?" Bulma grabbed her friend's arm to slow down her movement. Alarms were going off in her head; what was going on here? This was too much to simply be a coincidence.  
"I asked him, of course - but he refused to answer. He got all skittish and tried to change the subject," Chi-Chi said with a small frown. "I was hoping to get it out of him over lunch."  
"Okay, that's just strange!" Bulma declared, and before Chi-Chi could ask for clarification, continued, "While you were away getting the drinks, I met a guy, too; he was carrying some stuff to the stage. I could tell he wasn't Mikusubodo-jin, either. He was a little bit shorter than me, with tanned skin, ebony eyes, spiky black hair that stood straight up, and a compact, sexy body to kill for. And when I asked him where he was from, he got all defensive and left in a huff!"  
"Say _what_?" Chi-Chi gaped at her for a moment, sharing in Bulma's bewilderment. "Okay, yeah, that _is_ pretty strange. . . Did you get a name from yours? Mine was Kakkarot."  
"He said to call him Geta. But I think it might be a nickname. It doesn't sound quite right for a full name," Bulma answered thoughtfully. "And what kind of name is Kakkarot?"  
"I really have no idea, but maybe he can tell us. . . oh! There he is! Kakkarot!" Chi-Chi's eyes locked onto a familiar figure a few feet ahead of her and she ran over to him. It wasn't until she put her hand on his shoulder that it suddenly occurred to her that he wasn't wearing the same clothes she'd seen him in before. "Kakkarot. . .!" her voice trailed off as the man turned his head to reveal he wasn't who she thought he was. He looked almost exactly like Kakkarot, but older, and with darker skin and harder eyes. Most telling of all was the large scar that cut down his left cheek, old and deep. A black-haired woman stood at his side and was regarding her thoughtfully. "Oh, my goodness! I'm sorry! I thought you were. . ."  
"My son?" the man answered, a slight grin tilting his mouth. "Relax, happens all the time. From the back, we're darn near indistinguishable," he said, as he and Okarana studied the young woman carefully. This, clearly, was the woman Kakkarot had run into. Now that they saw her, they could see how she had thrown their youngest son for a loop. ((Yes, indeed, nothing like a pretty face from out of nowhere to completely befuddle a young man's thoughts.)) Bardock pondered to himself. He also knew now why Kakkarot had been so sure she didn't work for Frieza. Not only was her power level weak, but she also carried herself with far less arrogance than anyone in the tyrant's employ. Those who served Frieza for any period of time learned to walk and stand in certain ways that were very hard to shake off once acquired and it was noticeable to him, and to his mate, that this female had never acquired such manners.  
"Your _son_? You're Kakkarot's father?" Chi-Chi said, momentarily surprised. Then she smiled. "That explains a lot. And you are his mother?" she ventured, glancing at the attractive, strongly built woman at his side.  
"I am, indeed. And don't feel bad about the mix-up, I've done it myself a time or two," Okarana said with a little wink and a friendly smile.  
"Chi-Chi, hi!" Kakkarot said as he came up behind his father. "I was just about to head over to the cafe to meet you. I see you've met my father, Bardock, and my mother, Okarana," the younger man said as he motioned to his parents. His parents twitched sharply when they heard him introduce them using their real names; like Vegeta, they'd all come up with nicknames that were more suitable for concealing their origins. They hadn't been pleased that Kakkarot had given his real name to her, but to also freely use theirs was getting terribly careless.  
"It's nice to meet you," Chi-Chi said politely, not noticing the uncomfortable twitches from the older couple. While they had been talking, Bulma walked up casually behind Chi-Chi. Looking over Kakkarot and his parents, she was certain they were of the same race as Geta. "Oh, this is my friend, Bulma Briefs. She was on the ship, too," Chi-Chi said when she realized Bulma was standing right behind her.  
"Hello," Bulma said, and then her attention was yanked away as "Geta" himself suddenly walked up to join the small family, accompanied by a very tall man with long, spiky black hair.  
"Kakkarot. . ." Raditz started, but Kakkarot cut him off.  
"You remember my older brother, Raditz," he said casually. Raditz also flinched a bit at his brother's free use of his true name in front of strangers.  
"Hello again," Vegeta said to Bulma coolly, ignoring the brothers. She regarded him evenly and tilted her chin up a bit before answering.  
"Hello, Geta," Bulma said. "I don't suppose you're in a better mood now?"  
"Whatever my mood, I don't like being asked questions," Vegeta answered, his defenses slowly starting to rise again.  
"How about something simple, like - are you related to them?" Bulma motioned to Kakkarot and his family. Vegeta's face twisted with horror and anger.  
"I most certainly am not!" he snapped sharply, startling her. Vegeta visibly made himself calm down before continuing. "Only in the sense that we're the same race, but there is no shared blood between us, no," he finally added in a much calmer tone. Bulma stared at him at first, but then nodded quietly, taking in this new nugget of information. His reaction spoke volumes, but she wasn't totally sure of what. She opened her mouth to speak again, but before any sound could come out, Bardock let out a thin gasp and grabbed his head.  
"Bardock!" Okarana said with concern, as she gripped his shoulders for support.  
"Father!" Both of their sons turned to face him.  
"What's wrong with him?" Bulma asked anxiously.  
"Is he hurt?" Chi-Chi asked at almost the same time as Bulma.  
"He, uh, just has these fits sometimes. . ." Kakkarot replied, his eyes darting between his father and the two women. Vegeta watched quietly, familiar by now with the signs of Bardock having a vision. It happened frequently enough that he knew it would pass harmlessly, though this one seemed more painful than the previous ones he'd witnessed. Most just swept over Bardock and left him in a seeming daze until they wore off. Only occasionally was there physical discomfort as well and this "fit" was looking like a bad one.  
The images that flooded Bardock's mind were rushed and confused. He saw explosions, but what was exploding he couldn't say - he could only pray it wasn't Mikusubodo. Flashes of Frieza stabbed at him, the tiny tyrant laughing and glowing with power. A tall tower loomed before him for several unsettling moments, glistening a soft white-blue against a dull violet sky. This unknown structure wasn't made of any metal or stone he knew, but before he could discern more about it, the image was gone. Then he was in a dark room, staring at ancient, crumbling statues, one of which was the god of Vegeta-sei himself, Biitoru. He gasped and half choked out a prayer to the statue for mercy, but then he was jerked away. Suddenly, he was on an alien world, watching an incredible battle in the sky between three or four flying warriors. One of them was Frieza and he was sure two of the others were his prince and his youngest son. He couldn't tell if there actually was a fourth figure, since they were all moving too fast to count properly. A spray of blood crossed his vision, and he knew, with a deep fear in his gut, it was the blood of someone for whom he cared. Then everything swirled and changed again and he was seeing Chi-Chi in a hospital, apparently giving birth. For a brief, confusing, frightening moment, he thought he saw himself at her side, the father of the child, only to realize with a flood of relief that it was actually Kakkarot. The implications were a bit dizzying - she was giving birth to Kakkarot's child? His _grandchild_? This small, rather weak woman would be his son's mate? Before he could think on it further, a final sight filled his eyes: Vegeta and Bulma, side by side, battle worn and weary, and gazing at each other with total love and devotion in their eyes, even as some great pain stung at them both.  
Bardock gasped deeply as the last of the visions finally released him from its grip. That was, by far, the most confusing vision he'd ever had. He had no idea what the hell it had tried to tell him. It had all been too quick and unclear. The only things he'd gotten clearly were that Kakkarot had met his future mate and possibly Vegeta had, too. There was going to be a fight between the Prince and Frieza, but he already knew that. It was a given. But as far as the rest of the disjointed visions went, he had no clue. Of what significance was that strange tower? What did an old statue of Biitoru have to do with anything? And how could something that obviously didn't exist anymore have anything to do with their future? What was going to be destroyed? He growled in deep irritation at the worthless vision. If he had to suffer through these things, they should at least make sense! What was the point of showing him the future if he didn't see enough of it to understand what the devil was going on?  
"Bardock?" Okarana said gently, surprising him.  
"Father, are you all right? Has it passed?" Raditz asked carefully.  
"Dad?" Kakkarot said, Chi-Chi standing beside him with worry in her eyes.  
"Yes, yes, I'm fine now," Bardock answered firmly, and suddenly wondered why he was looking up at all of them. With no small amount of mortification, he realized he'd fallen to his knees in the midst of his vision. He stood quickly, angry that strangers had seen him looking so weak. "I'm going to get a drink of water and then I think I'll do some training to clear my head. I'll see all of you later," he said stiffly, turned on his heel and marched off with his back straight and his head high.  
"Wait, Bardock, I wanted to do some training, too," Okarana called after him. "See you boys in a while." she said over her shoulder and then went after her mate. ((Stubborn fool! After a reaction like that he should rest for a bit; a few minutes, at least!)) she thought.  
"Okay," Kakkarot said to his parents' retreating backs. He watched his father for a moment longer to assure himself he was all right, before he turned back to Chi-Chi. "So, uh, shall we go to the cafe?"  
"I guess. Does your father do that often?" Chi-Chi answered, and she and Kakkarot walked off together.  
"Not too often, and he's always fine afterwards. . ." Kakkarot replied, a bit distractedly.  
"Tch. I have things to attend to," Raditz muttered more to himself than to anyone else and walked away as well, leaving Vegeta and Bulma standing alone together by the street. They stared at each for a long moment, trying to think of something to say.  
"So. . .anything you guys do around here to spend some time?" Bulma asked lightly. Vegeta looked thoughtful for a moment.  
"There are a few things, though how many of them you can do, I can't say," he said casually. Bulma frowned at the implications she perceived in his statement.  
"Well, the only way to find out is to see it and try it for ourselves!" she stated firmly and Vegeta chuckled before he could stop himself.  
"Then in that case, right this way," he said, waving his hand to indicate down the street and they walked down the sidewalk side by side.  
Vegeta led Bulma for the rest of the day through what seemed to her like half of the entire city, showing her the various activities that were available. She quickly came to understand what he had meant when he said that he wasn't sure how many of them she could do; most required certain talents that were inherent in Mikusubodo-jins but lacking in humans. Such as the underwater sport that required holding one's breath for at least thirty minutes at a time - no breathing devices allowed. Or the game that required seeing in the infrared spectrum, which Mikusubodo-jins could do at will. Vegeta admitted freely he couldn't do those things either, so Bulma didn't feel too badly about it. The whole time they were sightseeing, she tried to sneak questions about him and his past into the conversation, only to be stonewalled almost every time. He asked questions in return that she answered with some annoyance, feeling more and more riled at the fact that he felt at liberty to grill her with questions but not answer any of hers.  
"You know what?" she finally snapped. "Why should I continue to answer your questions if you won't answer mine?!"  
"It's your choice," Vegeta answered smoothly, though his eyes darkened at her tone. "Answer or don't, I don't care. I'm just giving as good as I get."  
"You are so frustrating!" Bulma growled. "Would it kill you to open up a little?!"  
"Do you really need to know any of that stuff?!" Vegeta snapped in reply.  
"Well, no, I don't 'need' to, but I'd _like_ to!" Bulma said hotly. They stared at each other for several long seconds before Bulma pulled her eyes away. There was something in his eyes, something she couldn't name that unnerved her a bit after looking too deeply into them for too long. Vegeta gave a small grunt and looked away as well, not wanting to admit that looking straight into her eyes had shaken him as well. He could detect a buried pain within her not unlike his own. Her home world still existed, but it was under Frieza's thumb, with little worth to the tyrant, and might as well be as dead as his own world. Her willingness to reach out to him, and stand up to him, an alien stranger, after Frieza's soldiers had claimed her world, spoke of an inner strength and personality he could truly admire and respect. She had to know she was one of the weakest beings in space, but she still refused to be cowed.  
  
The sun had long since set by the time Bulma returned to the ship and Chi-Chi returned sometime after her. Chi-Chi had spent the rest of the day in Kakkarot's company, sightseeing much as Bulma and Vegeta had. It was as clear as crystal to Bulma that Chi-Chi was totally smitten by the mysterious man, and she had to admit to herself that, despite the small fights that had broken out between herself and "Geta" during the day, she wouldn't mind seeing him again, either. It wasn't often she found a man who could stand up to her temper and not be thrown off by it.  
"So, find anything out about your mystery man?" Bulma asked teasingly as Chi-Chi moved around their quarters humming to herself. Chi-Chi stopped humming and turned to her friend.  
"Well. . .not really. He was pretty tightlipped about himself and his family. He did slip up once, though!" she said quickly, sitting beside her friend. "I asked him if he was just visiting Mikusubodo and he said 'more-or-less'. And I asked him for how long, and he said--" Chi-Chi paused for a moment to glance around to look for anyone listening then leaned toward Bulma to speak in a lower tone. "'Just for the last eighteen years.'"  
"Eighteen years? Huh?!" Bulma stared at her friend in wide-eyed surprise. "But he looks barely twenty!"  
"Twenty-one," Chi-Chi answered. "Same as me. They're hiding from something, Bulma. All of them. And they have been doing it for a long time."  
"That's exactly what I thought!" Bulma said quickly and eagerly. She dropped her voice almost to a whisper, also aware of the chance of being overheard. "And I have a feeling that something, or should I say _someone_, is Frieza!"  
"It could be. Or someone who works for him," Chi-Chi agreed in a whisper. Then she sat back and spoke again in her normal voice. "Well, I'm seeing him again tomorrow. Maybe I can get some more out of him. Any word on how long we're going to be here?"  
"I asked the Captain when I got back and he said we'll be in port about a week and a half. I contacted the investors on Pairo-sei to let them know I'll be late," Bulma said in a normal, conversational tone again. She suddenly found herself wondering if she'd see "Geta" again before they left.  
  
The week and a half passed quickly, too quickly for Bulma, Vegeta, Chi-Chi, and Kakkarot. Kakkarot and Chi-Chi spent nearly the entire time together and they secretly arranged for Bulma and Vegeta to meet up again as well. The two of them also spent most of the time together, though Vegeta still refused to give her any information about himself other than his age, some of his likes and dislikes, and the fact that the Munotes were the closest thing to family he had on this planet. That little tidbit was revealed by accident, when the three Munote siblings just happened to decide to have lunch in the same place Bulma and Vegeta were dining. After greeting him, Fululy asked her foster-brother point-blank if Bulma was the woman he'd been going on about for the last few days. That made Vegeta's face turn beet-red for a second or two. Bulma quickly took advantage of his flustered silence to ask a few questions of these nice people, all of who seemed to be very familiar with her date, before he chased them off. All she managed to find out was that they had all grown up together and Vegeta - or rather, Geta, she still wasn't told his full name - was like their brother. A few days later, the ship was ready to leave.  
"I won't say this has been the most relaxing week I've ever had," Bulma said as she looked at Vegeta, who stood with her next to the gangway and seemed somewhat uncaring of her leaving. His nonchalant air didn't quite reach his eyes, though, which betrayed him with small twinkles of sadness and regret. "But, I'm glad we came here. Um, here's my communicator number, if you want to talk sometime," she added with a smile, handing him a piece of paper with the number on it. He looked at it, seemed to battle within himself for a moment, then tore a piece of the paper off and wrote his own number down on it, handing it off to her quickly before he could re-think his rash action.  
"And mine. In case," he said, his words clipped. Kakkarot and Chi- Chi had already exchanged numbers and were hugging each other goodbye.  
"I wish I could stay longer," Chi-Chi sighed sadly, leaning her head a little longer against his chest.  
"We'll see each other again," Kakkarot said firmly. "I can't say when, but we will. Soon, hopefully." Chi-Chi nodded in agreement.  
"Soon."  
"Come on, we need to get going - we're _way_ behind schedule!" the first mate called from inside the ship, and the two Earth women went aboard with a final glance back at their new friends. Moments later, the ship lifted off and disappeared into the sky.  
  
"You're not going to believe this!" Durama said as he walked in the door, a paper held tightly in his hand.  
"What is it, Dad?" Tammibo asked from where she sat on the couch. They were all there, assembled for a family dinner, for which Durama was grateful - he'd be able to tell them all at once. Vegeta sat in a corner, writing something. It had been a few days since the SS Star Streamer had departed and Vegeta had been restless since the blue-haired Earth woman had gone.  
"We're booked at the Cymba Stadium!" Durama said, waving the paper around triumphantly. The Cymba Stadium was one of the largest performing areas in the city and was usually booked tight a good year ahead of time.  
"Seriously?!" The entire family mobbed him to see the paper. Vegeta came up a little more slowly, but he still shared in his foster family's excitement.  
"Honey, that's great! How did you-? Oh, it doesn't matter! This is the break we've been waiting for!" Harpena said happily.  
"Oh, my, Kami!! This is _huge_!!" Fululy squealed in delight.  
"This is fantastic!" Sasu said.  
"All right, Dad!" Tammibo cheered. Suddenly, Vegeta cleared his throat.  
"That's great, you guys," Vegeta said carefully. He cleared his throat a second time and looked markedly uncomfortable before he spoke again. "Um, this might sound a bit strange, but. . ."  
"What is it?" Durama asked happily.  
"I'd like to perform with you," Vegeta said. They all stared at him in silent shock. Over the years, he learned how to play the guitar and keyboard and he always joined in with them during the family practice sessions. He even knew how to sing and he had a good voice, but he always refused to perform in public with them when they asked. Eventually, they had all decided that it was probably for the best, anyway; for he was, after all, trying to avoid extra attention. "I've written a song I'd like to perform," he explained shortly.  
"_You_ wrote a song?" Sasu gave Vegeta a cryptic look.  
"Yes, I did!" Vegeta answered, sending a quick scowl Sasu's way. "A rock ballad, actually."  
"What's it called?" Durama stepped in before his boys could get into a fight. Vegeta looked away from Sasu and held out the piece of paper for Durama to see.  
"It's called 'Blue Lady'," he said.  
  
**************************************************************************** ** Pairo - pronounced the same is "pyro." That should tell you the pun right there. Fuureimu - a play on the word flame. Cymba - a play on cymbal. Like you hadn't guessed that!  
  
NansJns@sa-tech.com 


	6. WaySaiyans6

::bows before reading public, assuming any are left.:: I am SO sorry! I never meant for it to take this long to finish this chapter! Stuff just kept coming up! I swear the next one will be out faster! Again, sorry!

As always, much thanks goes to my beta-bud, Holly, for her helpful suggestions! I'd also like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story so far! You're all so nice! And good reviews help me write faster. No, seriously, they do. They give me a boost of confidence and happiness that's very conducive to my writing.

DBZ is still not mine. No money made as of yet. Deal with it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Ways of the Saiyans

by

NansJns

Ch.6: Fame

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" Sasu asked for what must have been the millionth time. Vegeta scowled quietly at his foster brother; the entire Munote family had been asking him that since he had voiced a desire to perform with them three weeks ago. He just wanted to do his one song, and then he'd get off the stage. While he'd be the first to admit he wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of singing in front of a bunch of strangers - he wasn't comfortable singing in front of the people who'd raised him nearly all his life - he was determined to go through with it. He'd come this far; there could be no backing down now without looking like a coward.

"Yes, I'm sure, Sasu. Stop asking me!" Vegeta growled at him in annoyance. "I'm going up after Fululy and Tammibo do '_Once Burned_,' next to last, right?"

"Yes," Sasu said.

"And we're sure this concert isn't being broadcast to the galaxy at large?" Vegeta pressed a little further.

"We checked and double-checked," Fululy said as she joined them. They were watching the stage of the Cymba Stadium being set up for their group before the show started, and things were going smoothly for the moment. "Apparently, we're not famous enough to have our concert broadcast _anywhere._ Only the people who come here will get to see us." Fululy sighed a little. While that was good for Vegeta, it wasn't so good for the band as a whole. The only reason they'd gotten this chance to perform in the Cymba Stadium was because there had been a cancellation from the band which was originally supposed to play that night, and those musicians hadn't been big names, either.

"Then, it should be fine. Just one song, that's all I want," Vegeta said. His gut twisted a little at the words; this wasn't really the Saiyan way of things. Songs in the Saiyan culture were meant for special times, holidays and the like. They were warriors, not minstrels, and their voices only rose in song for rare and deeply meaningful reasons. So why was he so bound and determined to do this? He had no good answer for that, try as he might to find one. He just had a deep desire to do this, at least once; even if she couldn't hear him. . .

The concert was doing very well when the time came for Vegeta to perform. There had been enough advertising to draw in a good crowd, almost enough to fill the stadium, and the audience was making no effort to hide how much they were enjoying the music. Vegeta stood in the wings, his inner conflict still raging, his moment fast approaching as Fululy and Tammibo were finishing with '_Once Burned_,' a bouncy pop tune about trying again after a bad romance:

"_So tell me, can I trust you?_

_I would sure like to!_

_Maybe it's not lies,_

_What I see in your eyes._

_And I take a deep breath and, _

_I take a look around._

_I'm trusting you with my heart._

_Take a chance, one more start._

_No, it's no lie._

_(Once burned) Not always twice shy!_

_(Once burned) Not always twice shy!_

_(Once burned) Not always twice shy!_"

The music finished in a soaring crescendo and the audience cheered its appreciation.

"And now, we would like to introduce our extra member, Geta Munote," Fululy called out, and the cheers faded out in curiosity and confusion. "Who will now perform his original song, 'Blue Lady'!" Vegeta marched out onto the stage, wearing black-leather pants, black boots, and a white shirt with a black leather vest. His tail was hidden inside a black leather tube that made it look like a leather belt was wrapped around his waist. He'd left his hair as it was, figuring they'd think he'd purposefully made it look like that for the concert. Only his skin truly made him stand out from the others on the stage. It was still its handsome tanned color; there was no way to hide it. He felt the audience regarding him with great interest and he tried not to think about it. In one fluid movement, he swung around the guitar he had strapped to his back to his front and quickly positioned his hands on the instrument. Without saying a word, he struck a loud chord before strumming his melodic introduction with a driving rock beat. The rest of the family rapidly joined in, filling the air with rhythmic percussions and bass lines, and then Vegeta started to sing:

"_Souls lost in the darkness cry out_

_The pain and agony of slavery_

_Isn't there some way out?_

Some person with the bravery 

_I might, I might, if I can find_

_That one bright star to guide me!_

_One brief moment in her light_

_Just isn't enough, I need her for eternity!_

_(Chorus:)_

_Blue Lady, shine your light!_

_Blue Lady, set me free!_

_(I say) Blue Lady, in the night_

_Blue Lady, answer me!_

_Strength born from blood alone_

_Cannot always win the fight_

_War and pain feeds the flame_

_But love can make it so bright!_

_I'll be a god if she asks me_

_I'll right all the wrongs if she wishes_

_No matter what the task may be, _

_I'll do it, can't you see?_

_(Chorus)_

_Yeah, I'm callin' to you, Blue Lady!_

_Eyes of the sea, hair of the sky_

_Temper of fire and tongue a blade_

_A chance, a match, my heart won't lie!_

_Blue Lady!_

_Blue Lady!_

_Blue Lady, I'm calling you!_

_Come on, answer, like you always do!_

_I want the fire that's in your soul_

_It matches my own and your heart's my goal!_

_(Chorus x2.)_

_Blue Lady!_

_Blue Lady!_

_Blue Lady!_

_BLUE LADY!_"

An awkward moment of silence fell throughout the stadium as the last notes echoed off the stage. Vegeta was all set to march back off stage, having done what he wished to do, and wondering even more than before if he'd lost his mind somewhere. Then the quiet was broken by a roaring cheer as the entire audience rose to its feet and hollered as loudly as they could. It left their reactions to all of the previous songs behind, and everyone on stage froze in momentary surprise where they stood or sat. Vegeta shifted a bit uncomfortably, unsure how to respond. ((Okay, that's it, I've had enough.)) he decided as the cheers continued after several long moments. Bowing quickly, he started to march off the stage. Before he could get very far, the audience began to clap and chant:

"GETA! GETA! GETA! GETA!"

This strong of a reaction was unexpected by the Munotes, who were all taken aback for a moment, as was Vegeta. Vegeta shook it off quickly and resumed marching off stage. He'd done what he wanted and he had no desire to stay any longer.

"Um, and now, to finish our show. . ." Durama started slowly, but the audience didn't seem to hear him; they were all still focused on Vegeta as he left the stage. Eventually, the audience returned their attention back towards the rest of the Munotes as they played their last song. But when the concert was over and done with, the only performance everyone wanted to talk about was that of the memorable "Blue Lady", and the mysterious Geta Munote who sang it.

"You guys aren't going to believe this!" Sasu said as he walked in to his parents' house with a newspaper the following morning. The family was having breakfast, except for Vegeta, who was doing some quick exercises in his room before coming down. Sasu had the paper open to the entertainment section, and was staring at the page with wide eyes. "There's an article about our concert last night. . ."

"That's so cool!" Tammibo said gleefully, hopping up to her brother to see for herself. Fululy joined them, and their parents got up to see as well.

"Yeah, but that's not the big thing! Listen to this! "_The highlight of the event was the appearance of a mysterious sixth band member, a Geta Munote, who performed a song called 'Blue Lady.' 'Blue Lady,' a rock love song, brought the house down - it blew all of the other songs away. The biggest questions on everyone's lips are, will 'Blue Lady' be on any albums, and will Geta Munote return to the stage?_'" Sasu read aloud, looking at his family for their responses.

"Whoa, seriously?" Fululy asked breathlessly as she scanned the article for the quote Sasu had just read.

"Well. . .love songs are always popular. . .and this one was also about finding the strength to fight back against an opposing force. Any world under Frieza can appreciate that. . ." Harpena said slowly, trying to think of why "Blue Lady", above all the songs that had been performed, had managed to strike such a chord with the crowd.

"They liked it even better than 'Bring Me to Life'?" Tammibo asked in surprise.

"What are all of you talking about?" Vegeta asked as he walked into the room.

"Here, see for yourself," Sasu said, handing Vegeta the paper. "You made quite the impression last night." Vegeta read the article in silence as his foster family watched him, and he found himself once again unsure of how to react.

"Well, at least they didn't hate it," he finally commented, handing the paper back to Sasu.

"Vegeta, they're _raving_ about it!" Fululy said, her eyes glowing with excitement. "You should - nay, _need_ to perform it again at our next concert!"

"Fululy! Think!" Harpena cut her off sharply. "Vegeta can't start performing at all of our concerts! Sooner or later, someone will recognize him!"

"He can be on our CD - if we ever get a CD - no one will recognize his voice!" Fululy answered, still very excited. "Mom, 'Blue Lady' could put us on the map!"

"That is true," Sasu observed thoughtfully. "And maybe, so long as he doesn't perform with us around Pick-Up Day, and there are no video recordings or broadcasts when he plays with us, it could still work. . ."

"Don't _I_ have a say in this?" Vegeta said, sounding very annoyed. "What makes all of you think I want to sing again? I just wanted to do it that one time, and I did."

"But, Geta. . ." Tammibo said. "You read the article. They liked 'Blue Lady' best! You have to sing it again!"

"No, it's too risky," Durama said with a small sigh. "Last night was too risky, really. We're lucky the paper didn't print any pictures of him on stage."

"Besides, people would start to wonder why there weren't any images of him, anyway," Harpena agreed.

"Pfft! Mother, they're going to wonder even more why he never came back," Fululy pointed out. They paused to consider that thought.

"We may have opened a can of worms here," Durama observed.

"Aw, we'll just say he has stage fright," Sasu waved it off. "Say, why don't I sing 'Blue Lady' at our concerts? I can sing as well as him, and I know the words. It'd be easy," Sasu suggested quickly.

"Hey, yeah! That would work!" Tammibo agreed.

"Good one, big bro!" Fululy nodded. Unnoticed, Vegeta frowned. Even though having Sasu perform the song was the obvious answer to the problem at hand, he really didn't want Sasu singing that particular song. He didn't know why he felt so strongly about it, but the feeling was there all the same.

"Well, we can certainly try it," Durama said. "Let's finish breakfast, and we'll have a practice session."

However, half-way through the practice session, they knew it wouldn't work. Even though Sasu was singing quite well, it just didn't sound right. Even he thought so. None of them could pinpoint exactly what was wrong or lacking about his interpretation of the song, but something definitely was. Something big. Sasu frowned to himself, and tried to put more passion into his rendition, but it still wasn't right. They tried three times in all before finally coming down to the most obvious and inevitable conclusion. If "Blue Lady" was to be performed at all, it had to be performed by Vegeta.

"I don't get it. . .what am I doing wrong?" Sasu muttered unhappily after completing "Blue Lady" for the third time. "I mean, it sounds all right, it just. . .just. . ."

"Doesn't sound _right_," Durama finished for him. "And it's not just because we're used to hearing Vegeta sing it, either."

"No, it's not. Something is. . .missing, or something. But what?" Tammibo shook her head in confusion.

"I'm not getting the goosebumps I got when Vegeta sang it," Fululy offered. "But, Sasu is singing it just as well, just as strongly, and his singing has given me goosebumps before, so what's the problem?"

"This is just so strange," Harpena said quietly. Louder, she said, "Geta, come here and sing it. I want to test something."

"Hmph!" Vegeta grunted irritably, and moved from where he was leaning against the far wall. Picking up his favored guitar, he joined them and they tried again. After it was done, they all just looked at each other.

"Goosebumps," Fululy confirmed.

"There's definitely something different," Durama said, rubbing his chin. "But what is it?"

"No clue," Sasu sighed as he dropped into a chair. "That's so weird."

"So then, what does this mean?" Tammibo asked, already knowing the answer.

"It means, simply, that if we're going to perform 'Blue Lady,' Vegeta has to be the one singing it," Harpena answered. "Unless you want to give it a try, dear?" she glanced at her husband, who shook his head.

"No, I don't think there's any point in that," he said.

"Well, maybe we should try it anyway, just to be sure. . .a test, as it were," Sasu answered, standing up again. "After all, maybe it's just me."

"A scientific approach," Fululy agreed. "It couldn't hurt."

"Well, all right," Durama nodded. It made sense; before jumping to conclusions, they should make sure.

"And give it your best, Dad," Tammibo added with a little grin. "We want the results to be as accurate as possible."

"I always do," Durama chuckled, and they tried again. The end result, unsurprisingly, was the same - while it also sounded good, it didn't have the power or affect of Vegeta's performance of it. It simply didn't sound right.

"Well, that settles it," Harpena said. "So, now what? If Vegeta sings on stage again, we run the risk of exposure."

"If he doesn't, we run the risk of losing fans and potential fans," Fululy said with a sigh. "And yes, I know the risk of exposure is more important. This sucks, though. I think we can all agree on that!"

"Oh, definitely," Sasu nodded. At that moment, the communicator suddenly started beeping.

"I'll get it," Durama said, and went to answer the call in another room.

"Pick-Up Day isn't for another three years, almost; we may be concerned over nothing here," Tammibo observed suddenly.

"It may not be, but what do you suppose would happen if holo-recordings of Geta singing with us were to be sold across half the galaxy? Do you really think no one would realize who he is?" Sasu said, becoming angry with the situation. It was so grossly unfair; their band had a chance to finally really hit the charts, and they wouldn't be able to take it! "Why couldn't they have liked one of our other songs best?!" he groaned in frustration.

"Well, you said it yourself earlier - when Vegeta plays with us, it'll be audio only!" Tammibo said.

"If only that could work. . ." Fululy said quietly. "But how could we arrange it?"

"What's to stop people from taking regular pictures of him? Those would be just as bad," Harpena pointed out. "This really stinks, doesn't it, kids?"

"Would it do any good to repeat that I don't want to perform it in public again?" Vegeta asked, starting to get angry. Why did they keep ignoring the fact that he didn't wish to sing again?! It was really getting on his nerves!

"Aw, Geta, don't be such a spoilsport. . ." Fululy started then stopped when she noticed the clear anger on his face. An angry Vegeta was not someone to trifle with. "We're not trying to be rude," she offered again. "But your song _is_ our ticket to true fame and fortune. And as we all just heard, no one else can sing it right. So, what are we supposed to do? Hope for another chance break-away hit to fall into our laps?" Vegeta scowled.

"It's no concern of mine," he answered roughly.

"That's harsh!" Tammibo pouted at him, but Vegeta didn't react. Pouting had never worked on him, and she knew it. "C'mon, Geta, you know what this could mean for us. . ."

"Vegeta, we know you can't sing with us again," Sasu suddenly cut in. "If they just hadn't loved your song the best, we wouldn't have a problem. But they did, so we do."

"But even so. . .Vegeta, don't you want the person you wrote that song _for_ to hear it?" Fululy said, a sly grin gracing her face. Vegeta glared daggers at her.

"What makes you think -," he started.

"Oh, don't even!" They all cut him off with big grins.

"You didn't just come up with a love song out of thin air," Fululy giggled.

"Especially not one about a young woman with blue hair and blue eyes!" Tammibo agreed cheerfully.

"We met her, remember?" Sasu observed.

"Give us some credit for intelligence here, Geta," Harpena said. Vegeta scowled and looked away. Denial was pointless. But at the mention of the Earth woman, Vegeta found his mind going back to the memories of that brief week that Bulma Briefs had been on Mikusubodo. He missed her more than he was willing to admit, even to himself. Before the discussion could go any further, Durama returned with a look of frustration and disbelief on his face.

"You're not going to believe this. . ." Durama said as he walked back into the room.

"What now?" Harpena asked.

"We just received a call from Rikado, the recording company. They want to offer us a contract," he said, and watched his children's faces light up with excitement. "There's just one catch," he added, and watched their faces fall.

"A 'catch'?" Sasu repeated, uncertainly.

"Yeah. It seems one of their scouts was at our concert last night," Durama said.

"Oh, man! Don't tell me -!" Fululy squeaked.

"Uh-huh. We can have the contract, but Geta has to be part of the bargain," Durama finished. "They want 'Blue Lady' to be the featured track on our first disc." Sasu, Fululy, Tammibo, and even Harpena crumpled in on themselves in disappointment, but Vegeta remained stoic as always.

"Why does fate mock us so?!" Sasu groaned quietly. He was deeply tempted to bang his head against the wall a few times, but refrained from doing so.

"So, how did they take it when you said no?" Vegeta asked Durama calmly.

"Ummm, errr, I didn't exactly say no. . ." Durama answered sheepishly.

"WHAT?!" His entire family pounced on him.

"Dear, are you mad?! Vegeta can't perform with us regularly! He'd be recognized!" Harpena snapped furiously.

"I didn't say yes, either!" Durama defended himself quickly. "I said we'd have to talk about it, and even if we agreed, there'd be some very strict conditions concerning Geta!"

"And he accepted that answer?" Harpena asked.

"Yeah. He said he'd call back tomorrow for our answer," Durama nodded.

"Okaaay. . .well, Vegeta, if we can talk them into having an audio-only recording, would you perform 'Blue Lady' for the disc?" Sasu asked his foster brother carefully.

"Maybe," Vegeta grumbled.

"Right, like any recording company will agree to _not_ have any visual recordings or pictures of a band's main attraction," Fululy observed unhappily.

"Well, we just have to make it so Geta _isn't_ the main attraction," Tammibo said reasonably.

"Sure, but how will we do that?" Harpena inquired. Tammibo shrugged and said nothing. Before the discussion/argument could continue, there was a loud, rapid knocking on the front door. "Now who could that be?" Harpena wondered aloud as she went to answer the door. The moment it was open, the Mikusubodo-jin woman found herself staring into four anxious Saiyan faces, their eyes flickering between disbelief and anger.

"What is this?" Bardock demanded, holding up a copy of the entertainment section of the newspaper. "What madness has possessed you people?"

"What was he doing _on stage_ last night?" Raditz said, pointing towards Vegeta.

"Why don't you come in and we'll talk?" Harpena said, moving out of the way so they could enter. "And you can ask him yourself." The Saiyan family walked into the house in silence, and once the door was closed, turned on the Mikusubodo-jin woman again.

"Did he really sing with you guys last night?" Kakkarot asked first, still unable to believe it.

"Yes, he did," Harpena said coolly, trying not to feel nervous under the heavy, dark looks the Saiyans were giving her.

"Why?" Kakkarot pressed before anyone else could ask.

"You'd have to ask _him_ that. It was his choice, completely. We tried to talk him out of it, but he was determined to go through with it," Harpena answered.

"Leave her alone. It wasn't her doing," Vegeta said as he walked up to them. They all gave a small bow to him - they could only bow in private, as bowing in public would get unwanted attention - and then stared at him uncertainly.

"Your highness, why? You could've been identified! You're not ready for Frieza yet, there's no sense in taking such a deliberate risk!" Okarana said.

"My reasons are my own. Yes, it was a risk, but it hardly matters. There aren't any pictures or recordings, and the article doesn't even describe me," Vegeta answered, his voice stone. He had no desire to discuss why he had performed the previous night with his fellow Saiyans.

"With all due respect, your highness, you don't know there aren't any pictures. Someone in the crowd might have had a camera," Bardock said.

"Maybe, but Vegeta was somewhat disguised - it's unlikely anyone recognized him," Durama observed as he joined the conversation. His children also entered the room to listen to the argument.

"Unlikely, but not impossible! We'd all better hope to Kami nothing comes from this!" Okarana answered sharply. "I assume this won't happen again?"

"Yes, well. . .we may need a recording of just Vegeta's voice singing his song, but other than that. . ." Sasu said as casually as he could, and cringed at the looks that burned in the eyes of the four Saiyan warriors.

"More importantly, I _don't_ take orders from you!" Vegeta stepped in then, making Bardock, Okarana, Kakkarot, and Raditz pull back a step. "What I do is my own business. I know how to be careful, and I'm far better at hiding than I'd like to be! Your concerns are unwarranted."

"Yes, your highness," the older Saiyans said tensely, and Kakkarot looked at his long-time friend steadily with a mixed look of curiosity, annoyance, and determination.

"You may go now. Kakkarot, we'll spar in an hour," Vegeta said, and the younger Saiyan nodded.

"All right," he said, and he left with his family.

"This is definitely a fine can of worms we've opened," Harpena said, heaving a deep sigh.

"And the top's not all the way off yet," Durama observed wearily.

At first, Korodo was sure he must have heard Durama Munote wrong. Surely he hadn't just said what he thought he'd just said. It made no logical sense; it was self-defeating in the long run. But the look on Durama's face was quite serious. Korodo tried to think of reasons for such a request, nay, demand, and came up empty-handed again and again.

"That is a very strange condition to have in your contract," Korodo said at last, furrowing his brow as he looked into the communicator screen at the image of the head of the Munote family and band. "No visuals of this Geta at all?"

"I'm aware it's very unusual, but I must insist. No pictures of any kind, no holodiscs, and no broadcasts, live or otherwise. Geta doesn't want his face plastered all over," Durama said firmly.

"You do understand that he's your big selling point, right? That people, right now, are interested in your group because they're interested in _him_?" Korodo pressed further. "Why does he mind being seen? He performed with you the other night, didn't he? He can't be shy!"

"Shy enough. He was only on long enough to do his one song, and left immediately afterwards," Harpena, who was sitting next to her husband, pointed out. "He doesn't want all of that attention, no ifs, ands, or buts. If you want us to record with you, you must agree to this stipulation, or we can forget about the whole thing."

"_No_ visual records of any kind?" Korodo repeated again. "_None_?"

"_None_," Durama reaffirmed with a short nod. "And we want it in writing." Korodo scratched his chin thoughtfully as he looked at Durama, not saying anything for several long moments. He was mentally calculating the money that could be lost with no merchandising with Geta's face on it; but there was still great potential for profit to be found here. Things could be worked out, eventually, given enough time. . .

"Hmmm, maybe we could sell that angle; the mysterious sixth member. . ." Korodo began thinking aloud. "Yeah, it could be an enormous booster for the ticket sales for the live performances. . .'The Only Way to See Geta'! We might be able to work something out," he finally said with a nod. "It'll be tricky as hell, but we might be able to work this slant to our mutual advantage. I'll see about drawing up the contracts, and I'll send them to you when they're ready."

"All right, then! Good doing business with you!" Durama said, relaxing for the first time since he sat down in front of the communicator. "Goodbye."

"Good day," Korodo said, and the transmission ended. Korodo leaned back in his seat with his face full of contemplation. "Why would they have such a condition?" he asked the air. There had to be a reason. Well, whatever it was, he could work with it. . .for now.

"That went well!" Harpena said cheerfully after Durama ended the transmission.

"It certainly did! And you're sure you're okay with this, Vegeta?" Durama agreed, and glanced over at Vegeta standing in the next room.

"Okay enough," Vegeta grunted. "But I'm not performing at all of your concerts."

"Of course not," Durama nodded. Deep down, both Durama and Harpena suspected that on some level, Vegeta wanted to be recognized; it was pretty clear he was getting tired of hiding. He still carried a good deal of pride, and keeping himself out of sight on a world not his own was really starting to grate on him. None of them had known what to do when the news of Vegetasei's destruction reached them. With his world and most of his people dead, he could never go home; all he could do was keep preparing to face Frieza, if now only for revenge. They, and their neighbors, had done all they could to help, even coming up with extra weights for Vegeta and the other Saiyans to wear while training. But they all knew it wasn't enough. They needed something else; but no one knew what.

"This is it, our big break!" Fululy giggled nearby. "This is gonna be great! Assuming we can keep Vegeta's true identity a secret."

"We can only hope and pray it works out," Sasu observed with a casual shrug.

"Yeah. Really, I'm torn about this. On the one hand, this is our ticket to true fame and (hopefully) fortune, but on the other, risking Geta and our planet is kinda selfish. But the odds _are_ in our favor of him not being found out, as long as there aren't any pictures or recordings," Fululy said, starting to babble in her excitement and nervousness.

"Too true, all of it. Still, if he's willing, who are we to argue?" Sasu agreed.

"'We', big brother, are his family, and the only one he has, too. Are we sure about this?" Tammibo cut in. "I want this record deal as much as anyone, but. . ."

"It'll be fine, Tammi. Three years until Pick-Up Day, no recordings or anything; by the time Frieza's men head this way again, we'll probably be old news. Or at least, Vegeta and 'Blue Lady' will be," Sasu answered confidently. "You know as well as I do that popularity in the music business is fickle at best. What's hot one day, is very soon forgotten."

"No way! You're kidding!" Chi-Chi said, giving the slightly grainy image of Kakkarot on the communicator screen an incredulous look. "He wrote a song about Bulma? And he's recorded it?"

"Yeah! And it's a top-seller! They've sold fifty thousand copies in the last month!" Kakkarot answered cheerfully. "Sure makes my stuff seem kinda pathetic."

"Aw, I liked the little guitar tunes you sent me," Chi-Chi smiled at him. "They were really nice."

"Thanks. But they didn't even have words," Kakkarot shrugged sheepishly. Many years ago, he had caught Vegeta practicing guitar, and decided he wanted to learn it too. He was pretty good, and he even played a little drums, but music didn't hold him as strongly as it held Vegeta.

"Even so. Still, Bulma hasn't said anything about this, so I don't think she knows. You've gotta send us a copy, if Geta hasn't already!" Chi-Chi said cheerfully.

"Heh! No problem!" Kakkarot said with a grin. Then he looked thoughtful. "Well, maybe a bit of a problem - first I've got to find an extra copy!"

"True, that could be a problem, couldn't it?" Chi-Chi said thoughtfully. "Fifty thousand copies in one month. . .wow. . . Must be one heck of a song."

"Yeah, it is. . .and the Mikusubodo-jins are eating it up!" Kakkarot agreed with a grin.

"One hundred thousand copies in two months! And our next six concerts are sold out! All because of Geta and 'Blue Lady'!" Fululy said, dropping the latest stack of magazines featuring articles about their band on the kitchen table. Nearly all of them had the same theme - hot, up-and-coming band The Munotes hitting it big, but who is the mysterious Geta? The entire Munote family, save Vegeta, who was out training, stood around the stack of periodicals.

"Doesn't take a genius to know the tickets are selling because people want to actually _see_ Geta," Sasu observed, trying with great difficulty to contain his excitement. "I was stopped on the street today by some girls who wanted to know if I could get them pictures of him. Of course, I said no," he added.

"And here's where it gets tricky. The odds of someone sneaking a camera of one kind or another into one of our concerts are going up by the minute. A boot-leg tape of Vegeta performing would probably be worth a fortune now," Harpena observed as she picked up the top-most magazine on the stack and quickly thumbed through it.

"It wouldn't shock me greatly if one of these magazines, or one of their less reputable kin, set up a contest of sorts to try and get a picture of him," Durama said with a sigh.

"What can we do about it? We tried to downplay his role - our disc is named after a different song, and 'Blue Lady' is in the middle of 15 songs, and it's the only one he performs - what else can we do?" Tammibo asked.

"We tried, and we failed - spectacularly. I mean, the reviews all say they like all of our songs, but there's something about 'Blue Lady' that makes it stand out above the rest! It's making everyone nuts!" Sasu replied with an exaggerated shrug. "As Tammi said, what can we do about it?" Before any of them could answer, the door was roughly flung open and Vegeta stormed through, slamming the door closed behind him.

"That baka Kakkarot!" he growled angrily.

"Something the matter, Geta?" Fululy asked carefully. Vegeta glared at her for a moment, then scowled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Kakkarot just told me while we were sparring that he told Chi-Chi about 'Blue Lady,' and she told Bulma. And he sent them a copy of our disc!" Vegeta fumed, averting his eyes from his foster family.

"Oh. . ." Fululy answered slowly.

"Um, didn't you _want_ her to know about it?" Durama asked gently. Vegeta could be a ticking time-bomb when he was angry, and they had all learned to approach him carefully when he was.

"Not like _that_!" Vegeta snapped. "And on top of everything, it seems that fool actually managed to get them tickets for one of your concerts - the one at the end of the month!"

"Oh! So, they're coming back -_she's_ coming back?" Sasu replied. "Isn't that kind of a good thing?" Vegeta growled again and punched the wall, ripping a large hole into it.

"He had no right to do this without telling me first!" Vegeta nearly bellowed.

"Ummm. . .well. . .yes and no. . ." Harpena started nervously. "He can tell his own girlfriend what he wishes, and he's certainly free to give her tickets. . ."

"That's not what I meant!" Vegeta snapped. "He knew she'd tell Bulma!"

"Aaaand you wanted to tell her yourself first?" Tammibo ventured. Vegeta snorted and turned away.

"I never said that," he said lowly. Sasu had to bite his tongue to keep from pointing out that it was the only explanation for Vegeta's bad temper. Durama cleared his throat.

"Be that as it may, Geta, that doesn't give you the right to damage our walls. Please get the patching board and glue," Durama said. Vegeta scowled at him, still angry.

"Feh!" he grunted, and marched off to get the supplies from the garage. They'd had to keep a steady amount of patching material around since he arrived, as he had a bad habit of accidentally breaking things, especially whenever he was in a bad temper. Mikusubodo materials simply weren't designed to withstand a temperamental Saiyan's strength. He came back a minute later with the boards and glue, and patched up the wall in a matter of moments. The glue was specially designed and fused the new boards with the old.

"Thank you," Durama sighed.

"So, um, what did you _do_ to Kakkarot after he told you all of that?" Sasu asked suddenly, and Vegeta smirked.

"I beat the crap out of him, of course!" he declared, and marched upstairs to read another chapter of his Saiyan history books. Training and learning about his people were amongst his few great pleasures. The others watched him go.

"By the way. . .have any of you noticed that Kakkarot seems to be the only one who can keep up with him anymore?" Sasu remarked casually.

"Yeah, actually, I have," Harpena said. "I'm grateful that at least someone can."

Bulma sat in her cabin of the starship wearing headphones, listening to "Blue Lady" for the millionth time. Her cheeks were flushed as she listened, though she wasn't sure why; the mild embarrassment she'd felt upon learning there was a popular song inspired by her had worn off after the second listening. There was just something about the song that made her heart pound harder and her skin tingle. She would've liked to have learned of the song from Geta himself, and she had a feeling he would've told her, if Kakkarot and Chi-Chi hadn't beaten him to the punch. Geta and Bulma had spoken a few times since she'd returned home, but he'd never said anything about writing a song about her. He continued to be as tightlipped as ever about himself, which was why their conversations tended to be short. And now, she found he had written a very passionate love song about her. She sighed a little as the song went into its chorus again. As the notes played in her head, she couldn't help but wonder: if a simple recording affected her so much, what would it be like to hear him sing it in person?

"You're listening to it _again_?" Chi-Chi's voice said dimly outside the music.

"Yeah," Bulma said sheepishly, pausing the music and taking off her headphones to speak to her friend. They had adjoining cabins and Chi-Chi was standing in the doorway between the two rooms. "I can't seem to help it."

"I don't blame you! It's not every day you inspire a hit love song!" Chi-Chi grinned. "But, it is kind of late. You should get some sleep; we'll be landing tomorrow."

"You're right. Let me finish listening to my song one more time, and I'll hit the hay," Bulma answered with a nod.

"Okay. Goodnight!" Chi-Chi said with a small wave and went back into her own room. Bulma put the headphones back on and hit the play button to resume the music. As Geta's deep voice filled her ears again, the tingling sensation returned to her skin, and she closed her eyes and pictured his face. If only he was more open about himself; he always kept her at such a distance, it made it hard to be sure how she felt about him. ((Well,)) she thought, ((tomorrow I'll see him again and maybe then we can come to some kind of understanding.))

The ship descended through the atmosphere in a well-practiced, graceful curve and set down with a soft _thump_ in the landing area. From a window of the spaceport, Vegeta and Kakkarot watched the passengers start to disembark. Between the two, Vegeta was doing a far better job than Kakkarot in suppressing his eagerness. After a few anticipation-laden minutes, Bulma and Chi-Chi emerged from the craft, blinking in the bright sunlight. Kakkarot took a few quick steps forward, his eyes shining as soon as he caught sight of Chi-Chi. Vegeta hung back, still trying to decide what to say to the blue-haired woman who had so captured his attention during her last visit. He had little time to debate on it, as the two women saw them a moment later and headed straight towards them.

Bulma couldn't quite see the expression on Geta's face as she and her friend walked up to the two mysterious men. Kakkarot looked happy enough, but his eyes were on Chi-Chi only; Geta was standing behind the taller man, as if not sure he wanted to be there. As they drew closer, Bulma felt her heart start to speed up, beating out a rhythm she didn't fully recognize. When the two women finally reached their targets, Bulma looked straight at Geta expectantly. Geta's face was closed, but his eyes spoke volumes. If there had been a conflict in him before, it was now rapidly escalating to all-out war. Seemingly against his will, his eyes flashed at her as she drew near, then he pulled the light back down into the depths of his eyes.

"Bulma, welcome back," he said stiffly.

"Nice to be back. Nice to know I'm so inspiring, too," she said, her lips slipping into a little smirk, not unlike his own. Vegeta swiftly looked away and gave a derisive grunt.

"Try not to let it go to your head," he said sarcastically. Bulma softened a bit.

"Hey, come on. I'm really flattered and touched!" she said. "I love the song, and I can't wait for the concert," she added gently. Vegeta slowly looked back at her.

"Yeah?" he said.

"Hey, hate to interrupt this riveting conversation, but we're going to get some dinner. Want to come along?" Kakkarot suddenly cut in, and they looked back at their two companions. Chi-Chi stood beside Kakkarot, his right arm lightly wrapped around her shoulders, her left arm wrapped around his waistline.

"Sure, but we need to check into our hotel and drop off our luggage first," Bulma pointed out, holding up one of her suitcases as an example. She'd brought two fairly big suitcases with her; more for the trip to and from than the actual stay on the planet. Vegeta shrugged carelessly for his answer.

"Well, yes, of course, we were going to do that first," Chi-Chi nodded. She had two large suitcases as well, which she had set on the ground for the moment. "But Kakkarot says he knows of a really good restaurant that's close to the hotel, so we can just check in, dump the suitcases, and go."

"Oh, okay then. I've got a capsulized car with me. Let's all head out front so I can get it out and we can go," Bulma said with a smile.

"_Capsulized_?" Vegeta and Kakkarot echoed in confusion.

"Yeah, you know, in a capsule?" Bulma answered then recalled the reactions her capsule car had gotten the last time she was here. "Oh, yeah, that's right; Frieza hasn't shared the capsule tech with this planet, has he? Well, we'll just have to remedy that some, won't we?" she observed with a grin that Chi-Chi shared. "Follow me out front, and I'll show you," she said, and marched for the entrance of the spaceport and an open street. Still looking a bit bewildered, the two Saiyans obediently followed after, Kakkarot carrying one of Chi-Chi's suitcases for her as the human woman strolled beside him. Once the group was outside of the spaceport and facing the street, Bulma pulled out a small case from inside her jacket pocket. Opening the case, she selected a medium-sized capsule with a blue stripe and a number 14 printed on it. She held it up for the men to see. "Okay, please observe - this is a capsule. I invented them and my father's company mass-produces them. In these capsules, one can store just about anything. To release its contents, all you have to do is this," Bulma said, and pressed down on the plunger on top of the capsule. She then gave the capsule a small toss, and it burst open in midair, releasing a big cloud of colorful smoke. When the smoke cleared, a hover car sat in front of them.

"Whoa!" Kakkarot gasped, wide-eyed, and Chi-Chi giggled quietly behind her hand.

"How is that possible?!" Vegeta demanded.

"Hop in and I'll explain on the way," Bulma answered cheerfully as she pulled open the driver's side door. Vegeta immediately went for the front passenger seat.

"I can't wait to hear this," he said coolly. He was very curious about the whole thing, but didn't want to show it.

"Good luck understanding it," Chi-Chi observed as she climbed in the back seat with Kakkarot. "She tried explaining it to me once, and I gave up trying to understand after the third time she went through it."

"Well, that's promising," Kakkarot muttered sarcastically. By the time they reached the restaurant, Bulma had gone over the capsulization process twice, leaving Vegeta and Kakkarot a bit dizzy from trying to comprehend what she was saying.

"So, Frieza took this technology from you?" Vegeta inquired as they got out of the car, deciding to shift the topic slightly.

"As well as nearly everything else of value my father's company had ever invented," Bulma answered with a sudden, stormy look on her face. "Almost as soon as he'd had our planet conquered, some of his soldiers showed up and just took most of our blueprints and product samples right out of our company files. So far as I know, he's been making use of the pilfered technology with some frequency, but obviously he hasn't shared them with many others."

"Obviously. I'd never heard of this technology until now," Vegeta agreed. He couldn't help but think about how much easier it would be to carry around the instruments and equipment belonging to his foster family if they had some of those capsules, however they worked.

"Thankfully, after that initial raid on our company, he doesn't keep too close of an eye on my family; I can invent new things without having to worry too much about him stealing them as well," Bulma said, the thought helping to chase away the bad mood that had nearly set in.

"Yeah? Like what?" Kakkarot asked, and Bulma shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh, nothing much. This and that," she replied airily. Vegeta and Kakkarot exchanged glances.

"_This and that_, huh?" Vegeta repeated, arching an eyebrow at her knowingly. "Simple stuff, I suppose? Helpful around the house, maybe?"

"Some of it, yeah," Bulma agreed.

"'Helpful' is a good word for most it," said Chi-Chi as they entered the restaurant. They were seated reasonably quickly, and Vegeta never even noticed Korodo sitting a few tables away.

Korodo was looking at various documents regarding the Munote family's success thus far. Their numbers were mind-numbing; all because of one song, and one mystery singer. Their disc sales were through the roof, especially now that they were selling off-planet as well, and the tickets to their shows were selling faster than they could be printed; faster, even, than concert dates could be set up. This musical family was making him very rich. But he couldn't help but wonder how much richer he could be if they'd just let him broadcast an entire concert, Geta and all. The demand for some visuals of the unknown singer was getting higher by the hour. There was an untapped market in Geta merchandise. Korodo looked over his facts and figures again. ((Maybe it's time this Geta gets over his silly case of camera fright. . .))

When the night of the concert finally came, Bulma and Chi-Chi left early to try and get ahead of the crowds. Unfortunately for them, their plan didn't work. When they got to the concert hall, a few hundred people had already arrived, a fair few of whom had apparently camped out the night before, judging from the number of people carrying sleeping bags. The crowd was excited and chattering, and it was hard to hear anything clearly. The doors hadn't opened yet, and they were all checking their watches every few minutes, impatiently waiting for the time when seating would begin.

"Man, can you believe this?" Chi-Chi said as she looked around at the crowd.

"Makes me glad we already had tickets," Bulma answered. "Come on, let's try to squeeze in closer to the front doors." The two women tried to move through the crowd, but it was easier said than done. Anyone already close to the doors refused to be moved, and the crowd was less than willing to let more people move in ahead of them. They were just starting to get frustrated when Chi-Chi felt a hand slip into her pocket. Grabbing the wrist of the would-be thief in one lightning-fast movement, Chi-Chi twisted the arm of the Mikusubodo-jin man out of her pocket.

"And _what_ do you think _you're_ doing?!" she demanded loudly.

"I suggest you just confess; it's better for your health," Bulma said, glaring at him, and the people around them backed up a bit to give them room. The man looked around for an avenue of escape, then grabbed Chi-Chi's arm in an attempt to pry it off. When he discovered that he couldn't, he actually moved to strike her. Chi-Chi's answer to his audacity was to fling him across the way, nearly hitting a few innocent bystanders, who leapt out of the way in the nick of time. The hapless thief crashed into the ground, right at the feet of Kakkarot and his brother Raditz.

"You know, I heard someone say there was a pickpocket working the crowd," Kakkarot observed casually, though he was looking at Chi-Chi with pride and affection flickering in his eyes.

"Yes, indeed. I'm sure security would like to have a word with you," Raditz said as he picked the dazed man up by his collar. "And here they are now," he added as a couple of uniformed guards came through the crowd to see what the disturbance was. Once the security guards had spoken with some witnesses and with Chi-Chi, they took the pickpocket away and left them in peace, just as the doors to the concert hall opened.

"That was a good throw," Kakkarot commented to Chi-Chi as they filed into the building.

"Thank you," Chi-Chi answered with a satisfied smile.

"But you didn't get much distance on it," Raditz cut in. "That toss was barely ten feet."

"Well, how far should I have thrown him?" Chi-Chi said, her temper rising in her annoyance at such a silly criticism.

"How far _could_ you have thrown him?" Raditz challenged, his face and voice stone.

"A little further than that, but not much," Chi-Chi answered.

"Hmph," Raditz grunted. "That's it? That's your limit?"

"Enough, Raditz! She did just fine!" Kakkarot snapped at his elder brother. "Not every one can measure up to. . .uh. . .certain standards, and you know it."

"What the hell does that mean?!" Chi-Chi said, louder than she meant to. Bulma, who until that moment had been too lost in her own thoughts to listen to the discussion, glanced at the two men curiously. Raditz and Kakkarot sent each other angry looks at the apparent slip.

"Well, when you watch some of those holo-discs of Frieza's best men in battle, your standards tend to get raised," Kakkarot covered quickly.

"Precisely," Raditz nodded.

"Oh," Chi-Chi answered, not entirely mollified.

"Here's our seats," Bulma said when they finally reached the seats marked on their tickets.

"Our seats are a few places over," Kakkarot said, looking at his ticket. "We'll see you guys after the show, okay?"

"Okay!" Chi-Chi said as she settled herself into her seat.

"See you later!" Bulma said as she sat down. Watching as the two tall, dark-haired men walked away, she pondered what they had said before. "So. . .do you really think they were talking about Frieza's men?" she asked Chi-Chi casually. There was enough chatter around them that no one else could hear them.

"I doubt it," Chi-Chi replied. "What gives him the right to insult me, anyway?"

"My theory is looking better and better," Bulma observed quietly. Chi-Chi nodded in agreement.

"Sure does. But if they are, why are they here? And why won't they admit it?" Chi-Chi said.

"I'm not sure; but I have a guess," Bulma answered. After several more tense minutes, the curtains began to rise. Nervous butterflies began to fill Bulma's stomach, though she wasn't sure why. The five main members of the Munote band stood on stage, their instruments at the ready. The crowd murmured a bit, clearly wondering where Geta was. The cameras around the stage and auditorium whirred softly as their lenses took in what was in front of them.

"Good evening everyone! Are you ready?!" Sasu called out, and the crowd cheered in response. "Then let's do it!" Sasu declared, and started playing a fast tune on his guitar. The rest of the band followed his lead, and the concert began.

The spirited performance was just as enjoyable as it had been when Bulma and Chi-Chi attended their much smaller concert in the park. But this time they could sense a marked restlessness in the crowd, as the majority of them wanted to see the mysterious sixth member of the band. Many had mistakenly believed he played with the band regularly, rather than just for his one song. Bulma also felt a bit restless, but tried to cover it up by moving to the music playing around her. Finally, a little over half-way through the show, Geta came out on to the stage, dressed in his leathers and waving to the audience. The crowd whispered excitedly and a few of the younger female fans squealed in joy.

"And now, the moment no doubt most of you have been waiting for - our sixth member, GETA! Here to sing his Number One hit, 'Blue Lady'!" Fululy announced with a wide grin. Everyone in the audience jumped to their feet, cheering and screaming their delight. Vegeta gave a quick bow to the crowd then struck the opening chord of "Blue Lady". He began to sing out the familiar melody, but the lyrics he'd written somehow felt different this time. . . His eyes drifted over the crowd until he saw Bulma, her radiant blue hair standing out even in the darkened seating area. Looking directly at her, he sang as he never had before, the power and passion in his voice stronger than ever. A few female audience members actually fainted. He was so focused on Bulma that he never even noticed that the red lights atop each of the softly whirring cameras remained lit the entire time he was singing.

The concert ended on a high note, with the crowd giving a standing ovation, and the Munotes bowing several times before the audience finally let them leave the stage. Vegeta was waiting for them just off-stage, sipping water from a bottle. From their side of the closed curtain, they could hear the mixed sounds of the crowd departing the concert hall, chattering about the show and trying to leave without being trampled. The stage crew started packing up their instruments for them as they congratulated each other on a great show.

"Geta, that was your best rendition of 'Blue Lady' yet! It was incredible!" Fululy said, smiling with pride at her foster-brother.

"I'll say! I've still got goosebumps!" Tammibo agreed enthusiastically.

"It felt different," Vegeta admitted. Then he frowned and took a large swallow off his bottled water. "Now I'll probably be singing that darn song for the next couple of years!" he groused, though it wasn't as harsh as it could have been.

"That has got to be our best show yet! All of us, not just Geta! Though Geta was, like, mind-blowing!" Sasu said.

"He's right, we all did fantastic!" Harpena said.

"And the whole galaxy saw it!" declared a voice behind them. They all turned to see Korodo, the music promoter, approaching. He had a very pleased look on his face.

"Korodo? Hello! What brings you backstage?" Durama asked calmly.

"Just wanted to congratulate you all on one hell of a show! After tonight, you guys are going to be the hottest group in space!" Korodo answered with a wide, greedy grin. "You're going all the way to the top!"

"Aheh, we can only hope. So, the broadcast went well, then?" Haprena said, suddenly feeling uneasy for no reason she could name.

"It went beautifully," Korodo said, still grinning. "We recorded and broadcasted the _entire_ concert; you'll be household names on a dozen different planets by tomorrow." The Munotes and Vegeta stared at him for a second as his words sank in.

"Y-You. . .WHAT?!" Durama screamed.

"You recorded Geta's section of the concert?!" Harpena shrieked at the same moment. Korodo was oddly unfazed.

"You backstabbing bastard!!" Vegeta snarled, his ki beginning to crackle around him.

"_Those_ cameras recorded," Korodo said, motioning to the cameras on the left. "_Those_ cameras broadcast the whole shebang to the better part of the galaxy! See here, my young fellow," he said, looking condescendingly at the fuming Saiyan. "You must realize that your camera shyness was ridiculous. You should thank me!"

"_Thank_ you? I should _kill _you for this!" Vegeta growled, his fists angrily clenched by his sides.

"We had a deal!!" Sasu snapped loudly.

"No pictures, no broadcasts, no recordings, nothing with his face on it!" Fululy yelled.

"What are we going to do?!" Tammibo asked in a building panic.

"Relax, will you, guys? This 'mystery performer' gimmick of yours was interesting, but it was going to get old soon. If you want any kind of longevity in the music biz, you have to keep coming up with new and different tactics in order to stay hot and in the public's eye," Korodo answered, not really hearing everything they said since they kept talking over each other. "Trust me, tonight's broadcast will be keeping the masses happy for some time to come!"

"You IDIOT!! You may have just killed us all!!" Durama and Harpena bellowed together at him. Korodo took a step back, startled.

"What are you talking about?!" he asked.

"If Frieza or his lackeys see that broadcast and recognize Geta, they will come here and they will destroy our entire planet!" Fululy answered harshly. Tammibo was fighting back tears and was shaking all over in fear.

"Recognize him? You're all crazy! Why would Frieza care about some singer. . .?" Korodo said, shaking his head in disbelief. He was starting to wonder if the whole family had suddenly gone insane.

"Damn it all! It's not worth explaining to a mindless, money-grubbing worm like you!" Sasu snarled into his face. "Just know that if our world is destroyed, it'll be on your head!"

"That's it, I'm out of here. Once all of you have calmed down and come back to your senses, call me and we'll talk!" Korodo snapped back at them. He turned on his heel and marched out. Vegeta seriously considered going after him and pounding his face in, but held himself back. Beating up that baka promoter would have been very satisfying in the short-run, but it wouldn't change anything. They had gotten themselves into this mess, and now they had to deal with it.

"What do we do now?" Fululy asked quietly.

"Now, we pray that none of Frieza's men see that broadcast, or if they do, that they don't recognize Vegeta," Durama answered just as quietly. "In the meantime, we need to put our heads together and devise an escape plan, in case those prayers go unanswered."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The best-laid plans, eh? Next chapter, things finally start really rolling! Be there! R&R!

Rikado=a play on the word record.

Korodo= a play on the word chord.


	7. WaySaiyans7

Whoo-hoo! I actually did it! This chapter came out much faster than the last two! Hopefully, the rest will too! And once again, thanks for the kind reviews!

The usual disclaimers apply. I only own the characters I made up, and none of the original DBZ people. I'm pretty sure no money is being made on this - if there is, it's not going to me!

Thanks to Holly, for her great betaing!

The Ways of the Saiyans

by

NansJns

Ch.7: Found At Last

The Munotes waited longer than usual to leave the stadium, until they were sure the crowd had dissipated. They were all on edge, and had no desire to speak to any starry-eyed fans who didn't realize what had really happened there that night. Vegeta marched out the back door ahead of his foster family, his stride angry and agitated. As much as he loathed hiding, he knew he still wasn't strong enough to confront Frieza or his elite soldiers yet. That fact ate at him, but he couldn't deny it. But how much time did he have now? He was jarred abruptly from his thoughts by a hand falling on his shoulder. Reacting sharply, he grabbed the arm and spun its owner around to twist the offending limb behind the person's back while simultaneously forming a ki ball in his free hand. Only the recognition of the man's scent stopped Vegeta from firing the ki ball into his back.

"What the-?! Geta, get off of me!" Kakkarot snapped, trying to wrench his arm free from Vegeta's iron grip. Vegeta stared at the taller Saiyan for a moment, taking in who it was, and slowly let go of him while drawing the ki ball back into his body.

"Kakkarot, NEVER sneak up on me!" Vegeta snarled furiously. "I've told you that before!"

"I didn't sneak up on you!" Kakkarot snapped in reply. "And why the hell are you in such a bad mood?!"

"We walked up normally," Raditz confirmed, moving to stand next to his brother while eyeing his prince curiously. Vegeta looked over to see Bulma and Chi-Chi there as well, watching him uncertainly. He mentally berated himself for not sensing, hearing, or even smelling their approach. It was unforgivably sloppy.

"Is something wrong, Geta?" Bulma asked carefully. Vegeta looked at her, right into her concerned blue eyes, and felt his heart clench. How could he explain why he was upset without revealing everything? But then. . .did it really matter anymore? Now that the broadcast was out there, their secret was probably as good as dead anyway.

"Umm, we had some problems with our promoter. He, ah, broke one of our contract conditions without telling us," Sasu suddenly stepped in, trying to signal to Kakkarot and Raditz what had happened.

"Well, I can see where that would be aggravating," Chi-Chi said understandingly, though she watched them all closely.

"What condition?" Kakkarot asked, his inner alarms going off.

"One of the _big_ ones," Durama said, then realized they were being a bit silly; everyone knew that there weren't any recordings of Geta at their request. "He had the entire show recorded and broadcast tonight." Kakkarot and Raditz went rigid, biting back the cries of surprise that rose in their throats.

"He did?" Bulma said, tilting her head. "Actually, I wanted to ask you why you didn't have any recordings, Geta. . ."

"Vegeta," Vegeta cut her off, and they all went silent.

"What?" Bulma blinked.

"My name," Vegeta said quietly, while drawing himself up proudly, "is Vegeta."

"_What are you doing??_" Sasu hissed at him.

"Vegeta?" Bulma repeated, her eyes widening a moment, then she dampened her lips with her tongue. "As in Prince Vegeta of the Planet Vegetasei and the Saiyan people? The one who was supposedly kidnapped twenty-two years ago?"

"How did you-?!" Vegeta barely kept the surprise from running rampant on his face, and Raditz and Kakkarot stared at the Earth woman with their eyes wide.

"Hey, I'm a genius, remember? I did some research," Bulma answered, squaring up her shoulders and tilting her chin up. "I went through the species database until I found a race that matched you guys - Saiyans are the only other race that looks so similar to humans. And prominent among the information on the Saiyans was the description of their governmental structure - specifically, their Royal Family. There was a picture of the last King, to whom you happen to bear an uncanny likeness. There were also reports claiming that the last prince, Prince Vegeta, was somehow kidnapped out of his own room when he was five years old, twenty-two years ago. So, between your looks, your age, your nickname, and your secretiveness, I had a pretty solid guess as to who you really were."

"And, uh. . ." Chi-Chi spoke up then, "I did some digging, too, after she found all of that; and I found some old records of an experiment that was being performed shortly before Vegetasei was destroyed, which listed a Bardock, Okarana, Raditz, and Kakkarot amongst its participants. But Bardock was labeled as dead some time before the destruction of Vegetasei, and Okarana, Raditz, and Kakkarot were all labeled as MIA." Raditz slapped his brother upside the head.

"And _that_, little brother, is _why_ we were using different names in public!" Raditz growled at Kakkarot, who rubbed his head and shrugged.

"Too late now," Kakkarot muttered. Looking at Chi-Chi, he spoke clearly: "Frieza tried to disrupt the family unit experiment by having several of the children involved removed for 'special training.' Our mother chose to take us here instead. Our father faked his own death so he could stay here with us."

"Ah, that explains it," Chi-Chi answered.

"But it doesn't explain _you_," Bulma said, looking at Vegeta. "How did you get here?"

"That's something of a long story, one I'd be more comfortable telling you in private," Vegeta said calmly. Even though he knew he should've been ill at ease with how easily she had discovered his true identity, he actually felt a bit relieved that she already knew.

"You two have hotel rooms, right? We can talk there," Durama said, stepping forward.

"And why are you coming along?" Bulma asked, glancing at him curiously.

"Because, Miss Briefs, it's our story, too," Tammibo said. "Why do you think he went by Geta Munote?" Bulma paused to consider that statement, then nodded.

"All right, let's go. I, for one, can't wait to hear this," she said.

"Agreed," Chi-Chi said. "And I'd like to hear more of _your_ story, too," she added, looking back at Kakkarot and Raditz.

"I wouldn't mind hearing more about that, either," Bulma admitted, though she was more interested in Vegeta's story.

"You all can talk about that. I'm going to warn Mother and Father about this latest development," Raditz stated, and floated into the air.

"Good idea. I'll see you later," Kakkarot said with a nod, and then Raditz flew off in a blaze of ki.

"Shall we go, then?" Bulma asked, motioning down the street.

"Let's," Vegeta said, and they went to get their respective vehicles.

Thanks mostly to the late hour and the use of a back door to the hotel, Bulma and Chi-Chi managed to smuggle the Munotes up to their room without causing a scene. Once they were all comfortably settled, Durama and Harpena started the story with their first meeting and unlikely friendship with the Saiyan Elite Soldier Supinchu, and how, some years later, he had arrived unexpectedly on their doorstep with the slumbering child-prince. Vegeta then offered what he knew, how Frieza had wanted to take him away and his parents had been desperate to stop it from happening. He could still remember his father bringing him the glass of water, which he was now certain had been drugged. Durama and Harpena went on to say how Supinchu had entrusted Vegeta to them for safekeeping, by order of his King, until it was safe to bring the boy home.

"But, as you know, that time never came," Durama said with a sigh. "Frieza destroyed Vegetasei years ago."

"And so I've had to remain here, in hiding," Vegeta said, the stormy look on his face a clear indicator of how much he disliked that fact.

"So the whole kidnapping was staged. That explains a lot," Bulma said thoughtfully. "So, then, you guys raised him?" she asked, looking at Durama and Harpena.

"Like one of our own," Harpena smiled lightly.

"How did _your_ family end up here if no one other than this Supinchu knew this was where Prince Vegeta was hidden?" Chi-Chi asked Kakkarot.

"Sheer coincidence. My mother knew about this place and how infrequently it was visited, and figured it would be a good place to hide. We found the Prince through mere chance; he spiked his ki for a moment, which made Mother's scouter blip. She went to investigate with Raditz and me in tow, and there he was," Kakkarot explained, then gave a more detailed account of how his family had arrived and why they ran - the letter from Frieza, the escape in the night, his father staying behind at first then finding them by lucky chance later, and Bardock faking his own death.

"Unbelievable!" Chi-Chi observed when he finished, and Bulma nodded.

"I know," Kakkarot said as he ruffled his hair. "But that's how it happened."

"What will you do now?" Bulma inquired, thinking about the broadcast that was at that very moment being played across the stars.

"Well, if Vegeta is recognized, then we'll have to run for it," Durama answered with a heavy sigh. "And hope that Frieza doesn't destroy the entire planet as revenge for harboring him."

"It wasn't like the entire planet knew he was here," Tammibo agreed sullenly. "Only a small handful of people from our neighborhood knew."

"Sadly, it's doubtful Frieza will care," Harpena sighed as well.

"Didn't you ever worry that someone at the concerts might have recognized him?" Bulma continued, still curious.

"Most Mikusubodo-jins have never even seen a Saiyan in person before, so most of the people at the concerts probably didn't know what to think of him. Only his skin really gave away that he wasn't one of us," Durama explained. "Although black hair isn't very common among our people."

"I'd think the color of his hair was the least of your problems. Wasn't there someway to make it not stand up like that? Someway to smooth it down?" Chi-Chi suddenly stepped in, looking at Vegeta's hair.

"No," the Munotes and Vegeta all said at once.

"We tried everything when he was a kid; nothing worked," Harpena elaborated.

"The best we could do was a hat, and that didn't work very well," Durama added.

"Not to mention I hated it," Vegeta put in for good measure. "And before you ask, no, cutting it was not an option! Saiyan hair doesn't grow back once it's reached its full growth!"

"Oh," Chi-Chi said, then turned to Kakkarot. "That's why you and your family still have your Saiyan hair, too?"

"Uh-huh," Kakkarot said with a nod. "We know it wasn't the wisest choice, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to cut our hair, knowing it would never grow back."

"Besides, it all goes back to most Mikusubodo-jins having never seen Saiyans in person. They may have heard descriptions, but it's not the same. So long as their tails - the one feature that was unquestionably Saiyan - were hidden, and they used different names, most people weren't sure what they were," Durama said.

"It worked for all this time," Vegeta agreed.

"It might all be for naught, now, though," Sasu spoke up then. "Our own over-confidence and, let's be honest, mild greed, may have destroyed everything."

"I wanted to sing my song," Vegeta grumbled. "But I should have stopped after the official recording."

"We shouldn't have pushed you. And we shouldn't have made that deal!" Harpena replied with a mixture of guilt and anger.

"We might still get lucky," Fululy observed nervously. "Maybe no one will recognize him still."

"Maybe," Tammibo said.

"I don't think anyone is _that_ lucky," Sasu answered.

"Feh! I don't care!" Vegeta suddenly snapped, rising to his feet. "I'm tired of hiding! Let them know that the Prince of all Saiyans still lives!"

"Vegeta, knock it off!" Harpena scolded him without thinking. "You know fighting Frieza would be suicide!" Vegeta snorted and looked away from her, his eyes falling on Bulma.

"There must be something that can be done," Bulma said uncertainly.

"Not unless you know a way to boost my strength quickly. . .wait a minute!" The anger suddenly left Vegeta's face as he gazed at the blue-haired genius, an idea making his eyes sparkle.

"What?" Bulma asked, confused by his sudden turn-around.

"Bulma, you're an inventor, right?" Vegeta asked quickly, grasping her shoulders. "You build all kinds of machines?"

"Yes, I can invent just about anything," Bulma answered.

"Could you make something to help in my training? Our training?" Vegeta continued, and understanding filled Bulma's eyes.

"Sure I could! Have anything in mind?" she asked, her own mind coming up with possibilities already.

"A few things. And maybe. . .do you think you could make a gravity machine?" Vegeta inquired.

"Gravity machine? You mean, something to affect the pull of gravity?" Bulma pressed for clarification.

"Increase it, mostly," Vegeta answered with an affirmative nod.

"Hmmm. I'll need to work out some design specs, but I think I can swing that. . ." Bulma answered and, forgetting that Vegeta still held her shoulders, attempted to move to get some paper. Vegeta released her before she went far, and she fetched the paper and a pencil from one of her bags and then started sketching.

"I don't see how any of this will help. Can she build all of it in time for you to use it? And how long will you have with it?" Sasu said with a frown.

"Any time is better than none," Kakkarot answered with a grin.

"And with my capsules, it'll all be portable, so if you have to run, you can take it all with you!" Bulma said over her shoulder before returning to her sketches of the new devices. Vegeta smirked in pleasure; this woman just kept surprising and impressing him. He leaned over her shoulder and offered his own ideas, and they began conversing quickly and quietly on plans and possibilities for the machines.

"Bulma may not always be the most pleasant woman, but when it comes to machines, there's nothing she can't do," Chi-Chi observed to Kakkarot lightly, then yawned.

"Tired?" Kakkarot asked gently, and she nodded sheepishly.

"Just a little," she said.

"It is pretty late," Kakkarot admitted. "I'm a bit tired, too. We'll get out of your hair so you can go to bed soon."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep," Fululy murmured. "Knowing that broadcast is out there, reaching Kami only knows who. . ."

The Saiyan soldiers watched the broadcast of the concert that had been performed, by their reckoning, the previous evening with mild amusement. It wasn't the kind of thing they usually watched, but it was an entertaining enough distraction for the time being. They had stumbled across it by accident while finishing up their scans for the latest news on Frieza; ever since the lizard had destroyed their home world, leaving only their few secret colonies behind, they had been keeping careful tabs on him while planning their revenge. They were just about to turn the concert off when Sasu announced Geta. As "Geta" marched onto the stage, the two Saiyans froze in their seats. They stared at the figure on vid screen for a minute, then looked at each other.

"It can't be!" said the first, a younger Saiyan in his twenties.

"It _has_ to be!" the second, an older man nearer to his fifties, answered. "_Look_ at him! We must tell the King!" Striking the "record" button quickly in case they didn't get back in time, the two soldiers bolted out of their seats and ran down the hall.

It had been simple luck that had saved the King and Queen's lives. They had secretly slipped off to inspect the development of the three colonies when Frieza came to destroy Vegetasei. Frieza hadn't bothered to see who was there and who wasn't; he had simply canceled most of the missions to insure the Saiyans wouldn't be leaving or were coming home, and then blew the planet away. He didn't even bother to check to see if all the pods came back. King Vegeta had been ready to track down Frieza and challenge him, but Lesessu had counseled him against it. He, alone, wasn't strong enough, and most of his strongest soldiers had died with Vegetasei. They needed time to prepare, and so they had ruled over the colonies and trained, biding their time until they were ready to strike.

King Vegeta examined the reports in front of him giving the latest data on the new Elite warriors' training while Lesessu, a few feet away at a different table, spoke with one of the colony governors about an unfortunate number of damaged crops caused by a careless ki strike. The doors slamming open first startled, then angered the Saiyan Royal couple, and they glared at the two soldiers that came running in. The two men fell to their knees quickly, and placed their right fists over their hearts in the customary salute.

"What do you think you're doing? We're in the middle of important business!" King Vegeta snapped at them, and also sent an angry look to the guards at the door who had let them in. "Why didn't you stop them?" he demanded. Queen Lesessu and the governor also began to growl complaints at the interruption.

"Forgive us, your Majesty, but they said--" the guard at the door started.

"We know where the Prince is!!" The young soldier said in a rush, and the room fell silent.

"What?" the King said quietly.

"We think we may have just found the Prince," the elder of the two said more calmly, though his heart was hammering in his chest. "We were scanning the vid channels when we came across. . .well, in all honesty, it was a concert, if you can believe it. . ."

"Get on with it, Rutan!" Lesessu barked harshly, her eyes filled with a light they hadn't had in some time.

"Yes, my Queen! In the middle of the concert, the band had an extra member join them, a young man they called 'Geta' - I swear, it must have been the Prince! He looks like you, Your Majesty, but shorter; closer to the queen's height," he said. "His face, his skin, his hair, were all the same as yours!"

"His tail was hidden away, but it was him!" the younger man added for good measure. The King and Queen stared at them for a long moment, wondering if they were mad.

"Are you saying, Rutan, Biinu, that you thought you saw my son. . ._singing_ in some alien concert?" King Vegeta finally said, his voice low.

"Yes," Rutan answered.

"It should still be playing, and we recorded it," Biinu offered, more calmly than before. "Please, come and see for yourself! We're sure of this, Your Majesty." King Vegeta and his Queen stared at the two in silence again, frowning thoughtfully.

"It's ridiculous," the King finally said.

"We know, Your Majesty, but it happened," Rutan said. They fell quiet again, the guards and forgotten governor waiting tensely for the answer.

"Very well, show us," King Vegeta finally sighed, and his mate moved up to his shoulder eagerly. Rutan and Biinu stood, bowed again, then led the way down the hall.

By the time they reached the room again, Vegeta's turn on stage was well over, so Biinu played the recording. King Vegeta and Queen Lesessu stood tensely as the recording started, and as they watched "Geta" sing his heart out to the unseen woman in the crowd, they felt their bodies go numb with shock. There could be no doubting it; this had to be their son! A close look at the rounded "belt" around his waist quickly told them where his tail was, and they breathed a sigh of relief for that.

"From where did this transmission originate?!" Lesessu demanded quickly.

"I-I don't know, my Queen. We found it in the middle of the concert, and I don't know who these people are," Rutan admitted. King Vegeta was still staring at the screen.

"I believe they're the Munotes, but I don't know much about them," Biinu said. "I don't follow much alien music."

"Find out! NOW!" Lesessu shouted, and the two soldiers immediately jumped over to the nearest computer console and started searching.

"What happened to him?" the King finally said, still slightly stunned. "What is he doing there? SUPINCHU!" He turned on his heel and ran from the room, leaving his mate and the two confused guards behind.

"Supinchu? What does he have to do with it?" Lesessu stared after her husband in bewilderment for a moment, and then growled and ran after him. "Vegeta! What haven't you been telling me?!"

"Oh, not that infernal song again!" Frieza growled as he heard the familiar strains of "Blue Lady" drifting down the passageway. Ever since those discs went on sale, he'd been hearing that song several times a day, every day, on every part of his ship. It was driving him insane! The small tyrant stomped down the hall until he pinpointed the source of the offending sound as coming from a closed room, and then slammed the door open. "TURN THAT KAMI-DAMNED THING OFF!! I've had enough of that song!" he bellowed into the room, startling the small group of soldiers who were watching the broadcast of the concert on the vid screen that was set in the right wall of the room. Vegeta's face filled the screen as he sang, and Frieza's eyes bugged out. A second later the screen turned off.

"Sorry, Lord Frieza!" one of the soldiers said quickly.

"TURN THAT BACK ON!" Frieza snapped suddenly, and the soldiers looked at him in confusion for a moment before hitting the power button a second time. The screen popped back to life to show the last minute of Vegeta's time on stage. Frieza stared at him long and hard. "Where is this broadcast coming from?" Frieza asked in a low, calm, deadly voice.

"The planet Mikusubodo, sir," a second soldier said slowly.

"And. . .who is that?" Frieza asked, still in the same tone of voice, his fists clenching at his sides. He couldn't believe it - how stupid were his men? How could they not see who it was?

"That's Geta Munote, sir," the first solider answered. "This is the first broadcast to show what he looks like." he added after a moment.

"So you'd never seen him before now?" Frieza asked, his voice unchanged. If this was the first time they'd seen him, then he might spare their lives.

"No, sir," the second solider admitted, and the others shook their heads in response as well.

"Geta Munote. That's what he's calling himself?" Frieza scowled as Vegeta finished his song and bowed to the audience. "You _bakas_!! Don't you know who that is?! Look at his hair, his face! I should kill you all where you stand for such stupidity!"

"What-?! Sir, we-" a third solider gasped, then looked at the screen one more time as Vegeta left the stage. "Wait. . .that hair. . .his face. . .he looks like. . ."

"The Saiyan King! Dear Kami, Lord Frieza, you think that's-?!" a fourth soldier went stiff with shock. How could they have overlooked it before?

"I most assuredly do!" Frieza snarled, and punched the button on his scouter to activate the radio inside of it. "Zarbon! Change course immediately for planet Mikusubodo! Full speed!" he demanded.

"Yes, Lord Frieza!" Zarbon's voice replied.

"When we get there, there will be fireworks!" Frieza growled low under his breath.

"Frieza? According to the navigators, it will take almost three months to get there if we go top speed the entire time, but that will put an immense strain on the engines," Zarbon's voice suddenly spoke again over the scouter. "They may give out."

"I don't care! I want to reach Mikusubodo as quickly as possible! If this worthless ship breaks, I'll take another one! Now, do it!" Frieza snapped.

"Yes, my Lord," Zarbon's voice said, and the line closed again.

The livid King strode down the hallway, all at once thrilled to see his son again, and incredibly confused by how the boy had been found. What in Kami's name was his son doing there? And what had he been doing all of these years? The only one who had any kind of answers was Supinchu. King Vegeta cornered Supinchu in the training room, where the Elite guard was summarily destroying several dozen Saibamen which he had been using to practice his "multiple-opponent" techniques. The King destroyed the remaining Saibamen to announce his presence. A startled Supinchu bowed to his King's entrance into the room, and regarded him with his own confused look.

"Supinchu," the King started before Supinchu could speak. "Where did you leave my son?" he asked, just as Lesessu came running in behind him.

"Where did _he_ leave our son?" she said, staring at them both wide-eyed. Supinchu looked at them both, trying to decide his best course of action.

"Yes, where _he_ left our son," King Vegeta said, and then hesitated for just a moment before turning to his mate and squaring up his shoulders. "I am. . .sorry, Lesessu, I should have told you years ago. Vegeta was never kidnapped. I had Supinchu take him away and hide him, so Frieza couldn't have him." Lesessu stared at him, her mouth working uselessly for several minutes as she tried to speak. Finally, she settled for striking him across the jaw with all of her strength, sending him stumbling back.

"You _BASTARD_!!!" she screamed. "You've known all along where our boy was, and made me suffer all these years alone?!"

"I DIDN'T know where he was! I still don't!" King Vegeta said back, rubbing his jaw and making a mental note to spend some time in a healing tank to heal the break. "You didn't suffer alone! I knew nothing of how he was doing, or where he was! All I knew was that he wasn't with Frieza!"

"You also knew he wasn't taken by our enemies! You knew he wasn't being tortured somewhere, that he wasn't dead!" Lesessu snarled back, her dark eyes bright with tears she wouldn't shed.

"I'm sorry," the King repeated.

"That's not _good enough_!" Lesessu bellowed, and lunged at him. Supinchu wisely ducked out of the way as the two royals went at each other. King Vegeta put up a meager defense against Lesessu's blows as she worked through her anger. He could feel bones cracking and tasted blood in his mouth, but deep down he felt he had earned such a punishment for not telling her. When Lesessu's blows finally began to wane after many long, painful minutes, King Vegeta sighed softly in relief. She delivered a final blow that sent him down to the floor, and then glared down at him, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "You didn't know where he was?"

"No," King Vegeta coughed as he pushed himself back to his feet, ignoring his broken right leg and left knee. "I gave him to Supinchu and told him never to tell me where he took the Prince. I feared that Frieza would discover my ruse and I couldn't tell him what I didn't know myself."

"Why didn't you ever tell _me_?!" Lesessu demanded, her hands balling into fists again.

"You know Frieza was watching us closely. I never felt secure enough to tell you," King Vegeta answered.

"What about after our world was destroyed? We've been here for the last eight years, Vegeta! More than enough time for you to tell me!" she pressed, still infuriated. "You couldn't even tell me through our bond? I've felt there was something you were keeping from me all this time, but _this_?!"

"I'm sorry," King Vegeta repeated. "There is no real reason. I simply didn't know how to tell you after _not_ telling you for so long." He braced himself for a second attack, which was mercifully short, as Lesessu punched his chest a few more times then stopped.

"All you had to do was sit me down and tell me! I understand why you did it! I even understand why you didn't tell me at first! The fewer who knew, the better! And it was more believable if I was going out of my mind! But after it didn't matter anymore, _you should have told me_!" she snarled, then spun around to face Supinchu, who was watching silently from a neutral corner of the room. "Now, Supinchu, tell us! Where did you take our son?!" Supinchu moved forward quickly and kneeled before answering.

"I took him to the planet Mikusubodo," the Elite soldier said. "And left him with a family I knew there. Good people who swore to look after him until we came for him. But, why are you asking me this now?"

"These good people - what were their names?" The King asked, standing so tall and straight that if Supinchu hadn't watched the fight he never would have guessed the extent of the King's injuries.

"Durama and Harpena Munote," Supinchu answered, and the King and Queen exchanged glances. "But why--?"

"Because, Rutan and Biinu just happened to come across a broadcast of a group called 'The Munotes' in concert," King Vegeta said. "And there was a young man with them who looks just like my son!" Supinchu's eyes nearly bugged out of his head before he got his emotions back into his control.

"Wh-what? Sire, surely you jest. . ." Supinchu said, shaking his head. "Why would he-? Why would _they_ do such a reckless thing as have him on stage?"

"Then these Munotes you left him with are musicians?" Lesessu cut in. She had nothing against musicians, but to leave the Crown Prince of Vegetasei with some?

"Well, yes, but by no means famous or anything. . ." Supinchu answered.

"Watch the recording for yourself! Tell us if those are the people with whom you left him!" Lesessu insisted, grabbing him by the shoulder guard and dragging him onto his feet.

"Yes, my Queen," Supinchu said, and followed her out of the training room and back to the room with the recording. After watching for a few moments, Supinchu paled considerably. "That's them," he said, his voice softened by shock. "The older couple, those are the ones in whose care I left him - the other three are their children, I believe."

"So then, that is. . .my son," King Vegeta said.

"Singing a love song," Biinu observed quietly, puzzled by the Prince's choice of topics for his song.

"Supinchu, do you still have the coordinates for Mikusubodo?" King Vegeta asked, ignoring the lower-level guard's statement.

"Of course, Your Majesty," Supinchu said.

"We are leaving at once to get the Prince; we have to reach him before anyone _else_ recognizes him!" the King stated sharply. "Have our fastest ship prepared at once!" Supinchu and the two guards rapidly left the room to obey. Lesessu was watching the recording again, studying her son with great interest.

"He looks all right," she said quietly, then frowned. "But why is he singing a love song? What have those people done to him?"

"It appears they've made him weak emotionally, but there's no way to know for sure until we meet him again," King Vegeta answered, his emotions conflicting again. He was certainly happy to have found his son, but he couldn't stop himself from being displeased with the boy's current actions. It was unseemly for a Saiyan Prince to behave so!

"You realize that we may be seen when we go to Mikusubodo?" Lesessu observed dully, her face and eyes blank, as if everything that had happened in the last thirty minutes had drained all of her emotions away. "That it's a terrible risk to our colonies?"

"Do we have a choice?" King Vegeta asked, not liking the lack of energy in her words.

"No, not really. I'm going to get ready to leave," she answered, and started to walk away. King Vegeta started to reach for his mate, but she pulled away from and glared at him darkly. "Don't touch me," she said coldly. "You've lost your right to touch me. I'll let you know if it's ever all right again."

"Lesessu, please. . ." the King said, but stopped before he said anything else. It was pointless. She needed time, space, and to beat him up a few more times before she'd be able to make peace with what he'd done; if she ever did. He cursed himself for not telling her sooner, then went to make preparations for the journey and have a healing tank readied for himself. There were other things to worry about at the moment.

"What? What do you mean, you're going to be staying there a few more weeks?" Dr. Briefs asked his daughter unhappily through the audio-only communicator. "There's a lot of work to do here, and we need you to help."

"Yeah, Dad, I know; but something came up, and I have to stay here for a while longer," Bulma said into the communicator.

"What sort of 'something'?" her father's voice demanded.

"Uh, a client," Bulma said quickly. "I've been asked by the Munotes to design and build some equipment for them." A half-truth was better than a total lie, and Bulma didn't feel as bad about it.

"Really? But you don't know anything about musical instruments," Dr. Briefs said, sounding a bit confused.

"I won't be making musical instruments; just ways of storing them, and some new lighting and sound equipment, stuff like that," Bulma said, grateful her father couldn't see the guilty look on her face. She hated lying to him, but it was necessary to keep things under wraps for as long as they could.

"Bulma, are you going to run off with that rock star, Geta?" her mother's voice suddenly cut in with a teasing giggle, and Bulma felt herself flush.

"That wasn't in my immediate plans, no!" Bulma said in annoyance. ((Mom can be such a flake sometimes. . .)) she thought with a frown.

"Oh, come on! He wrote you a love song! He must like you!" her mother giggled again, seemingly unfazed by Bulma's previous statement. "And what girl doesn't dream of spending time with a handsome rock star?"

"Mom, you're impossible!" Bulma sighed.

"Be that as it may, my dear, we have more pressing concerns." Dr. Briefs came back into the conversation. "Bulma, you haven't finished designing that new engine, and we're going to need it soon."

"I know, I know, and I'm still working on it - and you can fill in some of the blanks yourself, Dad," Bulma answered.

"Of course I can, but you'll probably disagree with whatever modifications I make. You almost always do," Dr. Briefs said testily.

"It's nothing personal," Bulma said gently. "Your ideas are good - I just usually think of ways to improve them further. I know where my genius came from! NFM!" she added with a giggle and a wink she knew her father couldn't see. It was a little, long-standing joke between her father and her; Bulma got her genius from her father's side of the family, and whenever they talked about where her smarts came from, they'd add "NFM" meaning "Not From Mom." They weren't trying to be insulting, which was why they used the code, but as much as they loved her, Mrs. Briefs just wasn't the smartest person around. "Anyway, I can finish the engine's design here and send the blueprints to you, if you're really that concerned. I just. . .it's important that I fill out the Munotes' order first, Dad. That's all."

"She just wants to spend time with Geta, so let her be, dear," Mrs. Brief's voice said somewhere in the background on the other side of the communicator.

"That's not it-!" Bulma objected.

"It's all right, Bulma. If you need to stay there, that's your choice; but do try to finish with that engine ASAP," her father cut her off.

"I will, Dad," Bulma promised. "See you when I can. 'Bye!"

"'Bye, call again soon," both her parents said, and they disconnected.

Bulma sat back in her chair and sighed. She knew she needed to finish with the engine for the new ship, but at the moment it was more important to finish building Vegeta's training equipment. She had finished the blueprints two days ago, after working on them for less than three days. Even for her, that was pretty amazing. Building it all, however, was proving trickier than she thought. She could do it, but gathering up the right parts and materials was proving bothersome. Since she wasn't entirely familiar with the materials available on Mikusubodo, and she didn't want to spend excessive amounts of time learning about it all, she had chosen to place a rush order with a nearby off-planet supplier. She'd ordered what she needed, right before calling her parents, and now it was just a matter of waiting for the delivery to come in. The company had promised a fast delivery within eight days at most, but it still felt too long.

Bulma stood up and stretched, and walked over to the window. She and Chi-Chi had left the hotel two days ago and were currently staying in Bulma's capsule house in a wooded area where Vegeta and Kakkarot had brought them. Bulma needed lots of room in which she could build the training machines and that could be dirtied without causing problems. That left the hotel out. Besides, this arrangement would be a lot more private and cheaper in the long run. In the distance, she could hear the five Saiyans doing their warm-up exercises. She could tell they were still in the warm-up stage because yells and grunts echoed over the treetops, but there were no random flashes of light denoting ki attacks yet. From what she understood, the Saiyans had always trained hard, but now they threw themselves into it harder than ever before. Though there was no sign of trouble yet, they all felt like time was running out. Their collectively anxious attitudes were quickly rubbing off on Bulma and Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi was doing some training of her own on the other side of the house, being unable to keep up with the Saiyans. Bulma wished fervently that she could begin the actual construction of the equipment she'd designed for them, but all she could do was wait for the materials to arrive and work on some of the support circuitry in the meanwhile. ((Well, then,)) she reasoned, ((I'll just do that.)) She marched over to her work table, pulled the circuit boards out, and started working on them again. ((Please, Kami)) she prayed silently, ((Let there be enough time!))  
  
Yes, this chapter is shorter than the last couple. This is where it felt right to stop, okay? Be here next time for Chapter 8:


	8. WaySaiyans8

So much for hoping this chapter would be out quickly; but I have a good excuse! No, seriously, I do! A friend and I are trying to develop our own webcomic, of which I'm the head writer, and I've been working on that story. Not to mention the usual bouts of writer's block. So, is that a good enough excuse? Please forgive me! I swear I'll try to be faster with the next chapter!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it really helps to get me motivated:)

See if you can spot the cameo of one of my fan characters from another fic!

Anyway, enough rambling, let's get this show on the road!

DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama, FUNimation, and others, none of whom is me. I'm not making a cent off of this!

The Ways of the Saiyans

by

NansJns

Ch.8: Escape

Frieza paced the length of the bridge of his flagship, back and forth, over and over, his scowl growing darker with each step. They'd been traveling at top speed for over two months, and there were still light years between him and his target. His patience was wearing thin, nearly to the breaking point, and all but Zarbon and Dodoria made a point to give him plenty of room. All messages were relayed through the two of them, simply because it was safer - in his worst moods, Frieza had never tried to kill either of them. . .yet. They stood off to one side of the bridge, watching their leader stomp around, trying to think of ways to placate him for a while.

The ship was much quieter than before, also. No one dared play "Blue Lady" on the ship anymore, unless they were wearing headphones, for fear of Frieza killing them on the spot in his anger. The lizard-tyrant understood that they had never seen "Geta" before, and he knew perfectly well that they couldn't possibly have identified him from his singing voice alone, but the song rubbed in the fact that the brat had practically been under his nose the whole time, and that made him angrier with each passing day. All those years spent searching for the Saiyan Prince, all those years of being mocked for losing him, and he'd been on this insignificant planet the entire time! Frieza swore for the millionth time that he would never let such a thing happen again. All planets under his power would be visited by troops at least once a month from then on, and he also swore that the people of Mikusubodo would soon pay dearly for hiding Vegeta from him all of those years.

"Can't we go any faster!" Frieza barked sharply, startling the gray-skinned being at the helm.

"N-no, Lord Frieza. We're going at our absolute maximum," the helmsman replied nervously, small beads of sweat breaking out across his brow.

"Lord Frieza, do try to calm yourself. We have a few weeks to go before we arrive at our destination," Zarbon said quietly to the tyrant lord. He was tensed and ready to move if Frieza chose to attack him, but felt the words needed to be said. "You're doing no one any good in this state."

"I suppose your right, Zarbon," Frieza grated out through clenched teeth.

"I'm still curious as to how the little monkey wound up on that planet, anyway. They're a bunch of weaklings. How could any of them have kidnapped him, or held him prisoner for so long?" Dodoria observed casually, scratching his left cheek as he spoke.

"Don't be so dense, Dodoria!" Frieza snarled. "The whole kidnapping was a sham! I suspected as much from the very beginning, but I could never uncover any proof to substantiate my suspicions. Those traitorous monkeys! I almost wish the lot of them weren't already dead, so I could kill them now!"

"Well, we do have a couple of Saiyans on board," Dodoria said, a nasty smile twisting up his purple lips. "You could kill them."

Frieza stopped his pacing mid-stride to stare at the pink, spiky-skinned soldier. The despot's red-hued eyes were wide for a moment, and then his glossy black lips curved into an equally nasty smile.

"Why, you're right! We do have some of the last survivors here, don't we? In all of the excitement, I forgot all about them," Frieza said, his voice taking on the smooth, gentlemanly quality that so many of his men had come to fear. When he was being polite was almost more frightening than when he was angry; because when he was polite, it meant he had a plan, and knew he was in complete control of the situation. "Have they even heard the news? I'm sure they'd be most interested in it! Zarbon, Dodoria, go and fetch them so we can tell them firsthand!"

"At once, Sire!" the two aliens said in unison, and then left in search of their prey.

The three Saiyans had been keeping a low profile since the news of the Prince's discovery had spread through the ship. None of them could believe it at first, but after seeing the concert footage for themselves, they were convinced. None of them had ever met the King or Prince personally before Vegetasei was destroyed, but they had seen enough vid images of the two of them to recognize them at once. Knowing where the ship was now heading, they had been debating between themselves for the better part of two months about what they should do and how to do it.

At first, they had thought that they could slip into some of the single-man pods to try and reach Mikusubodo and their Prince ahead of Frieza, or just simply get off the ship before Frieza turned on them, but both ideas were quickly dismissed. The pods were infinitely slower than the flag ship, so they certainly wouldn't get there first. Besides, the odds of them launching three pods at the same time without anyone noticing were nonexistent. So they had settled for keeping out of sight for the time being until they could come up with a plan. The three had taken to meeting in one of the lesser-used storage bays so they could speak privately. As luck would have it, they were having a meeting when Zarbon and Dodoria were dispatched to find them.

"There has to be some way we can send a warning, or something," the second-class female named Kari said. She was tall and well-muscled, like all Saiyans, with long, spiky black hair that reached her hips and dark green eyes that were nearly black.

"Even if we could, how could we make sure the Prince got it?" the other second-class, a young male named Pota, said sullenly. His black hair was short, except in the front, where he had four long spikes that fell over his lean, tan face. He was a little taller than Kari with a wiry frame that belied his strength. "At best, the Mikusubodo government – and this is assuming they only have one – would get it and be able to forward it to him. And we've no way of confirming they even_ know_ the Prince is on their planet."

"ARGH!" the one first-class soldier, Orivu, bellowed as he punched the wall for the hundredth time, leaving the hundredth fist-sized dent. He was tall, broad, and bulky, and had shoulder-length black hair spiking up around his face. "This is insane! We finally find our Prince, but we can't do anything about it because Frieza already knows about him!"

"Keep it down, fool! Do you want someone to hear us!" Kari hissed at him and Orivu nearly backhanded her in response.

"Watch your tongue, female! Remember that you're only a second-class! You have no right to speak to me that way!" Orivu snarled at her lowly.

"What _I_ remember is that we three are on Frieza's ship, alone, and if _he_ remembers we're here, we're as good as dead!" she answered back just as coldly.

"Stop, both of you! We can't be fighting each other now! We have bigger concerns!" Pota said as he stepped in between them.

"You both need to remember your place," Orivu growled, but before any of them could retort, the doors opened with a hiss, making them all jump and turn to see who had entered.

"Ah, _here_ you little monkeys are! We've been looking for you!" Zarbon said, a cruel smirk twisting up his handsome face as he and Dodoria walked into the room.

"Thought you'd hide, huh? Well, I didn't expect much else from a bunch of cowardly weaklings," Dodoria observed, grinning maliciously. The Saiyans growled and bristled at the insults, but didn't move. Attacking the twosome would achieve nothing in the long run. "Lord Frieza would like a word with you," Dodoria added, relishing the looks of terror that filled the Saiyans eyes before they could control themselves.

"Does he, now?" Orivu asked as he wrestled his emotions back into control. "What for?"

"As if you didn't know," Zarbon answered with a chuckle.

"How did you know we were here?" Pota asked, trying to sound casual.

"We set the ship's internal scanners to look for Saiyan life signs, of course," Dodoria answered with a huff, annoyed by the stupid question. "Now, get moving!"

"Yes, we don't want to keep Lord Frieza waiting, do we? That would be rude!" Zarbon said, not even trying to hide his amusement at the Saiyans' plight. He was greatly relieved that Frieza would have someone to focus his temper on other than himself, and he didn't like the Saiyans, anyway.

The three Saiyan warriors walked past their tormentors with their backs straight and their heads high, their faces masks of disinterest, and their eyes hard and uncaring. One would almost believe they were called before Frieza all the time, and were bored with the prospect. Zarbon and Dodoria walked half a step behind them, preventing any attempts at escape. They almost admired the Saiyans' restraint; such calm in the face of probable death.

When the door to the bridge opened, Frieza made a point of staying still, facing the view screen, to show he was in control of the situation. The rest of the bridge sent quick glances towards the three Saiyans who walked into the room, all of them knowing there would be bloodshed in a few moments. The Saiyans, calm and stoic, all knelt before Frieza. Zarbon and Dodoria moved around them to the side of the bridge, to better view the show from a safe vantage point.

"You sent for us, Lord Frieza?" Orivu asked calmly.

"Yes, I did," Frieza said, no hint of his earlier anger and frustration showing through. When he said nothing more for a few moments, Orivu cleared his throat.

"What did you need?" the first-class Saiyan asked carefully.

"You have heard, haven't you, where we're going and why?" Frieza inquired politely, tilting his head to glance over his shoulder. The Saiyans began to sweat a little.

"We've heard rumors, Lord Frieza. . ." Kari started slowly, still feigning ignorance.

"Rumors?" Frieza echoed sarcastically. "And you didn't bother to confirm those rumors for yourselves?"

"Ah, well, we tried, but. . ." Pota said.

"But, what? Couldn't you find answers that suited you?" Frieza pressed on, his voice as calm as a grave. The Saiyans exchanged glances, their nervousness barely glinting in their eyes.

"Not entirely, Lord Frieza," Orivu said simply.

"You're all very poor liars," Frieza remarked frostily, before finally turning around to fully face the three Saiyans kneeling on the floor.

"_Liars?_ Lord Frieza, we –"Orivu started, trying to look offended, but Frieza cut him off with a backhand to the jaw.

"You know _exactly_ what's going on, and no doubt you've been trying to figure out what to do about it," he said coldly. The Saiyans said nothing, for there was nothing to say. "So then, how long have you known the whereabouts of your Prince?" Frieza continued, and the three Saiyans stared at him wide-eyed.

"What? Two months, Lord Frieza, like everyone el–" Pota said, but never got the chance to finish as Frieza struck him with a brutal punch to the solar plexis.

"Miserable little monkeys!" Frieza snarled. "Do you take me for a fool? I know the whole kidnapping was faked!"

"Why would we know anything about it!" Kari snapped sharply, readying a ki-strike as Orivu and Pota got back to their feet. "We thought it was for real!"

Orivu suddenly lunged, apparently hoping to take Frieza by surprise. Frieza's only response was to fire ki beams from his eyes that burned two holes straight through Orivu's chest. In a panic, Kari fired off her ki blast, which Frieza easily blocked. He then zipped forward and slammed his fist through her chest. His companions killed, Pota stood alone, with the knowledge that he, too, was going to die. Frieza turned on him with a ki ball growing in his hand.

"I knew _nothing_, my lord!" the young Saiyan declared. "I'm only a second-level soldier! Why would the Royal Family have talked to me!"

Frieza, having calmed down now that he'd worked through some of his frustrations by killing the other two Saiyans, frowned unhappily and held on to his ki ball. ((He must be telling the truth - the only ones who would've known were the royal family and some of their most elite guards. Only a complete idiot would have told the whole planet of the scheme - and whatever else he was, King Vegeta was never an idiot.)) he thought. ((Of course, it's not like I really care.)) With that thought, he grinned maliciously, and released the ki attack, watching it burn through the Saiyan's chest. Pota coughed harshly as he fell forward onto the deck.

"Someone clean up this mess, and if that one is still alive, see if you can get him into a healing tank before he dies. He was honest, after all," Frieza chuckled cruelly, feeling much more relaxed than he had in weeks. Zarbon used his scouter to summon the cleaning crew and wondered idly what would happen when they finally came face-to-face with the Prince.

"They haven't spotted us?" King Vegeta asked his helmsmen calmly.

"No, Sire," the Saiyan on the right answered. "They haven't done any scans for other ships in over a month. I don't think they care if anyone else is out here right now."

"Good. Continue to keep us out of their ship's scanning range and increase speed. He's still ahead of us!" the King ordered.

"We're already at our maximum speed, Your Majesty," the second helmsman on the left said.

"_Unacceptable!_ Tell the engineers to find some way to give us more speed! We have to reach Mikusubodo first!" King Vegeta snarled. The helmsmen sighed silently and relayed the message down to engineering.

They had picked up the distinct reading of Frieza's flagship on their scanners weeks ago and had been keeping a close eye on it. It didn't take long to confirm its heading. They could only pray they'd reach Mikusubodo first. King Vegeta managed to cover his near-panic very well, and his pride kept his fear from showing before any of his subjects. Even so, they all knew he was very tense, and they all knew why. The news of the discovery of the prince and that the entire kidnapping had been faked had spread through the dispersed Saiyan colonies like wildfire. Now, they were racing against Frieza to reach the boy in time. But it was the way of Saiyans to keep the true depths of their emotions to themselves, the Royals most of all. It might have helped King Vegeta if he could find some solace in his mate, but the rift between them still hadn't healed completely. Lessesu remained distant and angry. For the first month of the journey to Mikusubodo, she had slept in different quarters. They would spar sometimes, the King letting her work through her anger and resentment by beating him black and blue. The first night she had returned to their quarters, he had been overjoyed, but she had only looked at him coldly, gotten into the bed, and gone to sleep. At least it was a beginning, of sorts. They were starting to talk again, and he could sense her coming to terms with what he did, but he realized that it would still be a long time before she could truly forgive him, if ever. He just hoped their relationship could be restored to what it once had been.

Unable to sit still any longer, King Vegeta arose from his chair. "I'm going to the training room. Alert me if there's any change," he instructed, and left the bridge.

"Yes, Sire," the helmsmen said together.

Bulma was out of excuses and she knew it. She had come up with a dozen different stories to explain why she had to stay on Mikusubodo "just a little bit longer", and she couldn't think of any more. She had to stay; the Saiyans needed someone to help maintain the training equipment she'd made for them. The Saiyans' vigorous training resulted in at least one broken machine a day, and while Bardock was good with machines, he couldn't be fixing them constantly and training at the same time. Bulma sighed and spared a mildly envious thought to Chi-Chi, who simply told her dad she was staying on to keep Bulma company and because she was having such a fun vacation on Mikusubodo. She also didn't have a mother constantly giggling about her dating a rock star. Mrs. Briefs seemed to giggle more with each phone call, and it was really starting to wear on Bulma's nerves, simply because it was as true as anything else. She and Vegeta had become increasingly close over the last two months, during which he finally felt free to tell her about himself, though he hadn't performed again since the broadcast had been made. The Munotes had a massive argument with their producers over the blatant breach of contract, and hadn't performed since then, either. Ironically, this absence only served to make their fans more zealous. Their merchandise was selling out even more quickly than before and there were endless discussions online and in the streets about their last concert. Now, Bulma sat in front of the video phone, one hand hovering over the keypad, and the receiver in her other hand. After a few frustrating moments, she sighed and put the receiver back down.

"Forget it! There's no point in calling home until I can cook up a new story," Bulma said to herself. "Might as well get some lun–" before she could finish her thought, an explosion echoed out over the treetops, and moments later, a few pieces of smoking metal came flying out of the sky to bounce off of the capsule house and bury themselves in the dirt. "Oh, not again!" Bulma snapped in frustration and dashed out of the house. "They had better not have blown apart the entire gravity room again! It takes too long to rebuild it!" she groused as she worked her way quickly through the forest to where the Saiyans trained.

"BAKA!" Vegeta yelled at Kakkarot, who flinched at the Prince's anger. "You could've destroyed the entire thing with that ki blast!"

"I'm sorry, Vegeta, but if it wasn't made of such flimsy material. . ." Kakkarot started, looking at what remained of the ruined training droid. It had been nearly twice his size, but was now a bit smaller than him.

"We could only order so much durstite, and most of it was needed for the gravity room!" Raditz cut in quickly. Durstite was a substance invented by some of Frieza's scientists, designed to withstand some of the most powerful ki blasts. It was used throughout Frieza's empire, mostly for training rooms, though the Saiyans had also used it in some of their regular buildings. Bardock had found a supplier, but they could only order so much without attracting attention to themselves. A peaceful planet like Mikusubodo wasn't known for needing large quantities of durstite.

"I _know_ that!" Kakkarot growled. "Don't insult my intelligence! But these droids are so fragile, they aren't helping our training that much!"

"They're the best Bulma could do, and they work well enough for basics," Vegeta stated sharply. "You're right, they're not strong enough to withstand sustained ki attacks, but that's what the Reflectors are for." The Reflectors were round, floating devices that could bounce ki attacks off of themselves.

"I know, I know," Kakkarot sighed, calming down. "I wonder if she heard that explosion?"

"If she did, she probably thought it was just a random ki attack," Okarana shrugged as she took a drink of water from a bottle.

"What did you blow up this time!" Bulma's angry voice suddenly cut through the air and they turned to face her as she came marching out of the forest.

"Or maybe not," Bardock muttered to his mate, who gave him a small punch in the arm to silence him.

"It was just one of your large training droids, nothing of true importance," Vegeta answered the blue-haired woman's question. Bulma calmed a little at his answer.

"Is that all? Well, at least it wasn't the gravity room again," she said, calmer than before, then looked over to the damaged droid. "I might be able to salvage some of that," she observed thoughtfully as she moved over to examine it.

"You could?" Vegeta asked, slightly surprised. The droid was obviously in shambles, as far as he could discern. Bulma went over the broken robot to get a better look.

"Yeah, I can patch together some of this," she said as she picked through the damaged circuits and wires. "It's just a good thing that a lot of its bulk was just armor and wasn't necessary for it to function properly," Bulma groused as she looked at the damaged droid. "Honestly, if these things weren't designed to take the worst beating imaginable. . ." her ranting was cut off as another part of the droid suddenly exploded, sending more shrapnel into the air.

Before Bulma had a chance to fully realize what was going on, Vegeta grabbed her and whipped her around so that his body stood between her and the explosion. He felt no real pain as the hot pieces of metal bounced off his skin, though it wasn't comfortable, either; even so, he hardly noticed. He was suddenly all too aware of the feeling of the woman in his arms, warm and soft, her scent filling his nose. Bulma hardly cared about the explosion anymore. She was too aware of the feeling of Vegeta's well-sculpted body pressing against her own. He wasn't wearing a shirt, so she had full skin contact against her cheek and shoulder, and the warm, smooth feel of him made her own skin tingle pleasurably. She could hear his heart beating, strong and steady, in his chest, and for a moment, the world seemed to blur away at the edges, leaving only him and her clear and real.

"Are you both all right!" Okarana's voice suddenly called, and the moment was broken. Vegeta released her and stepped aside, holding his head high as if to defy any objections to his actions.

"We're fine, Okarana. I've suffered worse injuries doing warm-ups with Kakkarot," Vegeta answered calmly, crossing his arms on his chest. Bulma snuck a quick peak at his back as he spoke, and saw he was telling the truth – there were some small, red marks on his back, but nothing to be worried about.

"I'm okay, too," she said once Vegeta had stopped speaking. "My bangs may be a little singed, but otherwise, I'm fine."

"Good to hear!" Raditz said. "So, is the droid still salvageable?"

Bulma gave him a withering glare and then turned to look at the droid again. The metal was even more melted and twisted than before, and several wires were now dangling loosely down its front, spiting small sparks. She looked it over for a minute, pulling out some ruined circuit boards, and then shook her head.

"No, I don't think so," she said with a frown as she dropped the damaged pieces she held.

"Damn!" Kakkarot muttered. Unnoticed, Bardock grimaced and shook his head. When Vegeta had shielded Bulma, Bardock had been sent into the same vision that had been plaguing him ever since he first met the Earth females – the explosions, the strange tower, the statues, the battle with Frieza, the birth of his grandchild, and his Prince and Bulma standing together, in love. It seemed to strike him whenever Vegeta and Bulma or Kakkarot and Chi-Chi showed they were growing closer. He still couldn't make any sense out of it, except he had become certain that the odd tower was made out of voanium, of all things. The older Saiyan glanced at the others and sighed with relief that they hadn't witnessed his "fit". He loathed being treated as if he was ill whenever one of his visions was particularly strong – he was always just fine once it had passed; and he was a Saiyan warrior, lest any of them forget. He could certainly handle a few moments of discomfort without his family unnecessarily hovering over him.

"Hey, guys! I'm back! What was that fireball?" Chi-Chi's voice suddenly called out, and they turned to see her emerge from the tree line. Kakkarot smiled widely at her in greeting, and quickly moved forward to speak to her as everyone else called out quick greetings to her.

"Oh, I blew up one of Bulma's droids," he said cheerfully. "No big deal."

"Is that all?" Chi-Chi answered with a teasing grin. Bulma growled in annoyance.

"I work myself half to death to make them training tools, and this is how they thank me?" she muttered hotly. Vegeta chuckled softly and gave her shoulder a squeeze in comfort.

"He doesn't mean anything by it," Vegeta observed quietly.

"Did you get all of the supplies we needed?" Bardock asked his future daughter-in-law calmly, drawing their attention once again. The Saiyans had started staying at the capsule house after the first few weeks of training; it was closer than their old homes, and they wanted as few distractions as possible while they were working.

"Yeah, I got all of it - and I'd appreciate a hand moving all of it into the house," Chi-Chi answered with a nod.

"Okay," Kakkarot nodded, and then flew off. A few minutes later he returned. "There! Done!" he stated.

"Thank you!" Chi-Chi said, giving him a grateful smile.

"Hear anything interesting in town?" Bulma inquired.

"Not really," Chi-Chi said with a shrug. "But no one really talks to me, since I'm still a stranger here and an alien to boot."

"It took a long time before they were comfortable enough around us to talk to us, but we weren't exactly encouraging conversation, either," Bardock observed.

"All right, enough of this senseless chatter – we need to get back to training," Vegeta said gruffly. "Unless you all think we're ready for Frieza now," he added a moment later with a withering look. The other Saiyans shook their heads solemnly.

"We'll be going then," Bulma said. "See you at dinner!"

"Until this evening," Vegeta agreed with a quick nod and a brief but intense glance backward, before he started back for the gravity room, grateful she couldn't hear how fast his heart was pounding.

"Until then," Chi-Chi murmured to Kakkarot as she gazed into his eyes fondly.

"See you soon," he said tenderly, touching her cheek for a moment before turning to go back to his training. Bardock, Okarana, and Raditz gave brief waves in parting before they also returned to their intense training. Bulma and Chi-Chi left the clearing quickly, heading back to their capsule house. Chi-Chi had a happy, dreamy look in her eyes as they walked, and Bulma couldn't help smiling at her friend's love-struck expression. She allowed her mind to drift back to Vegeta's earlier rescue and felt her cheeks grow warm. With a small giggle, she realized her face must've looked a lot like Chi-Chi's at that moment.

"How much longer do you suppose we have?" Chi-Chi asked lightly as they walked, startling Bulma from her thoughts.

"I don't know. Honestly, I'm beginning to think we were worried about nothing; it's been over two standard months, and nothing's happened. Maybe no one recognized him," Bulma answered hopefully.

"I was thinking the same thing, and – what's that sound?" Chi-Chi suddenly paused and tilted her head.

"What sound? All I hear is Vegeta and the others practicing," Bulma said.

"Listen," Chi-Chi instructed. "It sounds like. . .some kind of siren." Bulma frowned and tilted her own head, straining her ears to hear. After a few moments, she managed to pick up on what Chi-Chi was hearing. It was faint and far away, but it did sound like a siren. The two Earth women exchanged nervous glances.

"Let's get back to the house. Maybe it's on the news. . ." Bulma suggested, and they sprinted off without another word.

"To repeat: two ships have been picked up on the LRP radar, one of which has been officially identified as Frieza's flagship. Whether or not it is coming directly here to Mikusubodo has yet to be determined. . ." the newscaster said, doing his best to maintain a calm facade. Bulma and Chi-Chi sat in front of the television with their hearts pounding. The fragile hope and happiness that they had held a few moments before were crushed and broken beneath the weight of the announcement they'd just heard.

"Oh, no!" Bulma gasped thinly.

"We-we have to tell them! There's no time to lose!" Chi-Chi said with a slight tremble to her words as she pushed herself to her feet. Her legs felt like lead as she tried to walk to the door, but she managed to hold herself steady through force of will. Before she got more than three steps, the phone rang. Bulma grabbed the receiver with slightly shaky fingers.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hello, Bulma?" Sasu's voice, edged with fear, said on the other side of the phone. "Are you watching the news?"

"Yes, I am. . .we were about to go and tell them. . ." Bulma started.

"Didn't they hear the siren?" Sasu cut her off quickly.

"If they did, they ignored it. They're still out training," Bulma answered, suddenly annoyed at the Saiyans' irresponsibility; she always did better with anger than with fear. Vegeta and the rest were always boasting about how sharp their senses were, so why hadn't they heard the siren? Admittedly, their training did tend to cause quite a racket, but even so, they hadn't been doing anything all that noisy when the siren first went off.

"Not anymore, they're not," Chi-Chi suddenly cut into Bulma's mental tirade, and Bulma turned to see her friend standing in the open doorway. Just beyond her, Bulma could see the Saiyans landing on the lawn.

One look at Chi-Chi's face told the warriors all they needed to know.

"Then we did hear the early-warning siren," Raditz observed grimly.

"Frieza is on his way here," Vegeta stated, one hand balling into a fist at his side.

"According to the news reports, he'll be here in about a month," Chi-Chi confirmed.

"Vegeta, Sasu's on the phone," Bulma said quietly as she offered him the receiver. He took it and started speaking to Sasu in hurried words.

"Damn it all!" Okarana hissed.

"At least he doesn't know about the Mikusubodo-jin's long range radar; we have time to think of something," Raditz said.

"Sure, but what should we do?" Kakkarot asked calmly.

"What else can we do? We have to leave, as soon as possible," Bardock stated, his stomach twisting uncomfortably at the idea of running.

"What!" Vegeta barked at him, forgetting about the phone for a moment. "Are you seriously saying we should run – again!"

"What choice do we have?" Bardock said sharply. "You said it yourself not twenty minutes ago – we're not ready for Frieza yet!"

"Maybe not, but I refuse to run like some pathetic coward!" Vegeta snarled. "Hiding all of these years was humiliating enough!"

"You would prefer an even more humiliating death at Frieza's hands!" Bardock snarled in return.

"Hello? Vegeta? What's going on over there?" Sasu's voice called from the phone, but no one was paying attention.

"How can we be so sure we're not ready? We've been preparing for this all of our lives!" Kakkarot stepped in. "We've trained since we could walk!"

"Scouters don't lie, Son! We're strong, but not as strong as Frieza or his top men," Okarana said with a shake of her head.

"Besides, none of us have been in a real battle for so long. . ." Bardock started.

"We may have been only sparring, but the battles were true! I have never pulled a punch in my life!" Vegeta cut in.

"Of course not! But you and my sons have never battled to the death, have you?" Bardock snapped at him. The vision was struggling to the surface again and he was fighting it off for all he was worth to focus on the matter at hand. Vegeta had fallen silent, unable to offer any argument to the older Saiyan's words. He then returned to his phone conversation with his foster brother.

"Yes, yes, I know," he muttered into the phone unhappily.

"Even if _we_ don't leave. . .you two should," Kakkarot suddenly said, looking at Chi-Chi with a pained expression. Vegeta glanced over his shoulder toward the women to watch their reactions.

"What!" the two women snapped at the same time.

"He's right. This isn't your fight, and you've both done plenty for us already. There's no reason for you to stay any longer," Raditz said.

"Yeah, right – and who's going to keep the equipment up and running until Frieza gets here?" Bulma challenged, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Don't be stupid," Bardock said. "I can do that well enough; if you stay, you'll be risking your lives!"

"Maybe it's worth the risk," Chi-Chi said, looking at Kakkarot. Bulma looked over her shoulder to Vegeta and their eyes locked.

"Some things are," she agreed with her friend. Vegeta turned his head quickly so she couldn't see how her words had affected him. Bardock and Okarana glanced at each other knowingly and Raditz gave a sigh of frustration.

"You two certainly chose some stubborn women to fall for," Raditz muttered under his breath to his younger brother. "Lucky you."

"All right, you can stay for now – but only for now! We want you both well away from this planet before Frieza arrives!" Bardock ordered, just as Vegeta hung up the phone.

"Durama and Harpena were thinking that, if it's confirmed that Frieza's flagship is coming here, they should make a public announcement explaining everything, so everyone will know what's happening and that they need to evacuate," Vegeta said.

"It makes some sense, but what about the panic it will create?" Okarana asked.

"And what if some of them get the idea that, if they hand the Prince over to him, maybe Frieza will spare them?" Raditz pointed out.

"I asked about that and Sasu admitted they hadn't thought in those terms. Right now, it's just a thought. Frankly, once it's confirmed Frieza's heading here, most of the people will probably evacuate anyway," Vegeta answered.

"Say…the news report said there were _two_ ships headed this way, didn't it?" Bulma suddenly cut in, and the Saiyans looked at her curiously.

"Yes, now that you mention it," Chi-Chi said.

"I wonder who the second ship belongs to. . ." Bulma pondered aloud, not entirely listening to her friend.

"Probably one of Frieza's followers or something," Vegeta said coolly, his body tensing as the reality of it all sank in. ((He must know now who's been hiding me. . .the whole planet will be made to pay, but the Munotes will get the worst of his anger. . .and if he discovers how Bulma has been helping us. . .)) "Back to the training area!" he barked suddenly, storming out of the house. "We're turning the gravity machine up to one hundred, starting today!"

"What? One hundred! We'll be crushed!" Okarana objected.

"We've only gone as high as fifty!" Bardock agreed with his mate. Vegeta stopped a few steps from the house.

"We no longer have time to take it easy! We need to step up our training, and that's one of the best ways to do it. Now, get moving!" he commanded, leaving no room for argument. Knowing he was right, the four third-classes obeyed and flew back to the training ground. Vegeta spared one more backward glance towards Bulma then flew off at high speed, managing to reach the gravity machine first.

It was confirmed the next day that Mikusubodo was, indeed, where Frieza's ship was headed. Frieza had not come to Mikusubodo personally for many, many years, not since the voanium was first discovered. All that had spared the Mikusubodo-jins was the knowledge that they already knew how to mine the mineral safely and effectively. But for the last ten years, the people had known that the planet's supply of voanium was almost completely depleted and many had feared what Frieza would do once they could no longer provide him with the precious minerals. The next shipment was likely to be the last full load of voanium they could give him. After that, it would be pebbles at best, and Mikusubodo-jins' worth and usefulness to Frieza would be gone. The Mikusubodo-jin people needed no more reason than that to start evacuating the planet immediately.

"Seeing as everyone is already leaving, I suppose there's no point in telling them the _real_ reason Frieza's coming here," Durama observed as he watched their neighbors drag large suitcases to their vehicles. It had been a week since the announcement and half the planet had already fled for the hope of safety elsewhere.

"It would probably make things worse," Harpena agreed. "Besides, Frieza would've come sooner or later anyway, once he knew the voanium supplies were gone," she added, trying to put on a brave face. She couldn't remember ever being so scared and the nervous look on her husband's face told her he felt the same way.

"I bought a personal space cruiser for us; it'll be ready in about five days," Durama told her. "It's big enough for us and the Saiyans. The question is: can we get them to go?"

"We can certainly try!" Harpena answered. "They're stubborn, but they'll listen to reason eventually – what is that?" Harpena cut herself off mid-sentence as a tiny glow appeared high in the sky. The glow rapidly grew larger as it streaked toward the surface, a wave of fire surrounding something that was plummeting from the atmosphere. They saw only a brief flash before it struck the ground, causing a thunderous explosion. It had been circular, round, and metal – a one-man space pod.

The pod sat in the crater it had made, surrounded by the debris of a few buildings it had struck on its way down. Everyone who had been nearby when it landed started running away, several of them screaming in fear. With a faint hiss, the hatch opened, and a large, heavy, pink-skinned hand curled around the edge of the hatchway. Dodoria hefted his large body out of the pod and surveyed the area.

"Hmph! Pathetic place. To think the Saiyan Prince is hiding here!" he sniffed disdainfully. "Well, orders are orders. Time to find the little monkey..." He floated out of the crater as he pressed a few buttons on his scouter. The readout flickered as the small machine scanned for high ki signatures for miles around. He turned in a slow circle, waiting for the expected blip, and was momentarily startled when the scouter registered five high ki signals several miles away to the north. And they were getting closer. "What's this? Vegeta isn't alone?" Dodoria said in surprise, then grinned cruelly and chuckled in a way that would've made ice shiver. "And here I thought detaining the Prince until Frieza got here would be boring! At least I'll get some exercise out of it now!" he said, pleased. He landed on the edge of the damage his pod had done and waited for the foolhardy Prince to come to him.

Vegeta led the way, his heart hammering with excitement and nervousness as he raced toward his first real fight in a long time. They had seen the pod's descent and had felt the impact as it landed. Bardock and Okarana had tried in vain to tell Vegeta to stay behind, but he'd have none of it. None of them were sure who it was, or why Frieza would send an advance scout in this situation, but whatever the reason, they knew it would be pointless to hide - the soldier would be equipped with a scouter, and would locate them before long. Besides, the idea of a true fight with a worthy adversary was far too great a temptation for the long-suppressed Saiyans to pass up.

"Our enemy knows we're coming," Bardock noted, watching the readout on his own scouter.

"He must – he hasn't moved for almost five minutes!" Raditz agreed.

"Over-confidence has always been a major weakness for Frieza and his soldiers," Okarana said calmly despite the drops of nervous sweat that slid down her cheeks.

"Just remember, I get first crack at him - whoever it is!" Vegeta said sharply.

"Right, whatever you say," Kakkarot answered, his eyes glittering with excitement. "We're almost there!"

"This isn't a game, you two, this is. . .Dodoria!" Bardock's half-hearted scolding ended in a moment of stunned silence as the invader came into view. It had been years since he last saw Dodoria, but the sight of Frieza's pink, spiky-skinned henchman was still a bit intimidating. They had expected some low-rank lackey, not one of the strongest soldiers under Frieza's command!

"Well, now, isn't this interesting? Five Saiyans for the price of one!" Dodoria observed as he looked at them all in turn, letting his scouter get a distinct reading from each of them. "Frieza told me to make sure the Prince couldn't escape before he arrived, but I'll wager he doesn't even know about you four! Oh, no doubt he'll want to _'talk'_ to you about your deception in hiding your Prince, but I doubt he'll mind very much if I kill one or two of you in the meantime!" Dodoria said as he pounded his large, beefy fists together in his customary pre-battle fashion, a sadistic grin twisting up his purple lips.

"Are we supposed to be intimidated?" Raditz asked casually, almost sneering. "'Cause we aren't!" Dodoria scowled at his attitude, then smirked.

"Really? Could have fooled me! I've been around Saiyans for a long time, and usually, the fur on your tails doesn't fluff out like that when you're calm and unafraid!" the pink alien said mockingly, as he pointed to the traitorous limb around Raditz's waistline. Raditz flinched before he could stop himself then snarled loudly at Dodoria to cover his humiliation. Dodoria just laughed at the flustered Saiyan. "So, then – who wants to die first?" he asked, and Bardock made a motion as if he planned to move forward, but a sudden ki blast from Vegeta streaked past him and slammed into Dodoria head-on.

"You talk too much," Vegeta said coldly. Dodoria waved the smoke away from his barely-scratched face and glowered at Vegeta.

"You really don't remember me, do you, little Vegeta?" Dodoria asked casually. "And such a pathetic attack, too. I expected better from you."

"That was just to get your attention," Vegeta replied, crossing his arms over his chest and doing his best to ignore the insult. "And you're every bit as ugly, fat, and stupid as I remember."

"WHAT! You little PUNK!" Dodoria bellowed indignantly. He angrily released a massive ki beam from his mouth that sent the Saiyans leaping out of the way.

Vegeta pivoted in mid-air and dove at Dodoria while forming a ki ball in his hands. He had forgotten, however, how fast Dodoria could move despite his large size. The bulky alien seemed to blink out of sight. Vegeta only managed to catch a blur of pink out of the corner of his eye before Dodoria's fist collided with the side of his head. Momentarily stunned, Vegeta was knocked several feet away, his ki ball dropped. Dodoria started to laugh, but Vegeta suddenly regained his control and snapped back around, flinging a new ki-ball at the pink alien. Dodoria managed to get his arms up in time to block it, but with his arms in front of his face, he couldn't see Vegeta, who promptly flew at him and drove his fist as deep into Dodoria's gut as he could make it go.

Dodoria gasped and gagged in surprise, a small amount of bile burning up his throat. Quickly grabbing the Prince's arm before he could remove it, Dodoria swung the small Saiyan into the nearest building, which collapsed with a roar as Vegeta's body destroyed the lower floors supporting it. Vegeta emerged with a quick, harsh cough. He paused for no longer than a heartbeat to wonder if the building had been empty. He hoped so, but he couldn't worry about that in the middle of battle. Dodoria, somewhere between angry and impressed, fired a ki ball at Vegeta, which the young prince casually knocked aside into the upper atmosphere. Dodoria rapid-fired several more ki blasts at Vegeta, who knocked them all aside with such speed that all that could be seen was a quick blur. Then Dodoria laughed again.

"Not bad, kid!" he said. "But that's enough of a warm-up."

"Oh?" Vegeta answered, shifting into a different battle stance. "Does that mean you're ready to get serious now?" With that, they lunged at each other, trading blows too quick to see. The other four Saiyans watched restlessly, ready to step in, if needed.

Vegeta scowled as he threw several punches at Dodoria that the larger alien blocked with his spiky forearms. Vegeta felt the flesh of his fists tear against the bony protrusions, and he growled to himself in annoyance. Dodoria started to smirk again, but Vegeta's ki suddenly blazed higher, making the pink alien's scouter screech in alarm, right before the next punch crushed one of his spikes and the bones in the arm. Dodoria cursed aloud in surprise and pain and Vegeta swung again – only this time, Dodoria caught his fist. Vegeta immediately threw his other fist, but Dodoria caught that one as well, despite the damage to his broken arm.

"Nice try, little Prince," Dodoria mocked as he squeezed Vegeta's fists tight enough to make the bones crack. "But I have you now!" Vegeta's only answer was a smirk, as he slammed both of his feet into Dodoria's gut, sinking in almost to his knees. Dodoria's eyes bulged out and spittle mixed with blood flew from his mouth. Sucking in a ragged breath, Dodoria quickly retaliated with a powerful head-butt that knocked the Prince temporarily senseless. As he crashed to the ground, Dodoria landed right behind him, holding his stomach and coughing. "Damn monkey!" Dodoria wheezed harshly. "I swear, if Frieza didn't want you alive so he could kill you. . .huh!" the alien's grousing was cut off by his scouter's sudden, loud chirping. He barely managed to move before four ki beams struck him. Snarling in rage, he turned on the four Saiyans that still hovered nearby. "DAMN MONKEYS!" he bellowed at them and unleashed a swarm of ki beams in their direction.

"Temperamental, isn't he!" Raditz asked as he narrowly avoided being struck in the chest.

"Just like I remember; lots of power, but no real emotional control!" Bardock answered his eldest son as he also dodged around the blasts. Okarana winced silently as her right leg was grazed by one energy beam.

"Is that so?" a cold voice suddenly hissed in Bardock's ear. He had no time to turn before Dodoria landed a bone-crunching blow to his back with both fists. The force slammed Bardock into the ground like a small meteorite.

"Father!" Raditz cried in surprise and started to fly at Dodoria, only to be struck by one of the last of the ki beams that were still flying around them. Raditz used his ki to right himself before he hit the ground and looked up to see his brother battling with Dodoria while their mother quickly checked on her mate. Kakkarot had a few light burns from close calls with the ki attacks, but still easily traded blow-for-blow. Dodoria began growling in frustration and anger that the young Saiyan was able to hold his own. Bringing a large knee up, he nearly struck Kakkarot in the stomach, but the Saiyan youth dodged out of the way and landed a solid kick on Dodoria's round cheek. Dodoria spun away from him for a moment then caught himself, his eyes blazing in fury.

"You lousy, monkey-tailed, little. . ." Dodoria grumbled.

"'Monkey', 'monkey', 'monkey'! Is that the only insult you know, you ugly bastard?" Kakkarot mocked. Before Dodoria could attack again, Raditz, Bardock, and Okarana suddenly came up around him. Blood flowed down Raditz's side from his wound, but his eyes were clear. Bardock was dirty and obviously injured, but he held himself erect and at the ready. Dodoria looked at them all and started to laugh.

"What-what's this? Do you really think any of you can defeat me, even as a group? Are you all delusional? I knew Saiyans became restless if they didn't have a challenge for very long, but I didn't know they went crazy!" he declared and flared his ki higher. The four Saiyans raised their own kis in response. His scouter began to blip, higher and higher numbers appearing faster and faster. But the highest number was coming from somewhere below him. Dodoria spun around and looked back to the ground, where he had left the semi-conscious Prince; just in time to see the ki beam that tore through his chest. The beam narrowly avoided Kakkarot and shot into the sky, carrying a dark, thin stream of blood with it. Kakkarot grimaced as some of the purple-red liquid splashed on him. Dodoria fell to the ground again, cradling the hole in his chest. "Not. . .not possible!" Dodoria choked out as blood flowed out of his mouth. "You can't be. . .strong enough. . .to beat me. . .!"

"Looks like I am," Vegeta answered, breathing deeply.

"Damn you to hell. . ." Dodoria wheezed. He tried to summon enough ki for a last attack, but Vegeta blasted him into cinders before he could finish.

"You first," Vegeta said, before rubbing his throbbing head and wincing at the burning pain in his chest. "Damn," he muttered, sitting down for a moment.

"Vegeta! Are you all right?" Okarana asked as she landed beside her prince, her eyes noting the deep bruise that was forming on Vegeta's head. Bardock was leaning slightly on Okarana and Kakkarot was helping his elder brother as subtly as he could.

"I'll be fine. Bardock, you were right – we're not ready. We have to leave before Frieza gets here," Vegeta answered, the admittance clearly infuriating him.

"I think we did pretty good; all things considered," Kakkarot observed.

"We did – but it wasn't good enough!" Raditz answered, pressing one hand into his wound to help slow the bleeding.

"C'mon, we all need healing tanks. Let's head back," Okarana suggested. Vegeta grunted and started to stand.

"Hmph. If we. . .must. . ." Vegeta's words trailed off as he suddenly collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"Vegeta!" they all cried out in panic.

"So, what happened?" The words filtered through the tank's liquid as Vegeta's mind slowly swam back up to semi-wakefulness. It sounded like his foster father.

"So far as I can tell, the head butt fractured his skull – a few fragments started to pierce his brain," a different voice, one he didn't know and assumed to be a doctor, said. "He also had several broken bones and one broken rib stabbed his lung. He nearly died."

"But he'll be okay, right?" Bulma's voice suddenly said, and Vegeta twitched at the worry in her voice. She had been very scared for him.

"Oh, yes! The tank will have him back at one-hundred percent by this time tomorrow!" the doctor replied cheerfully.

"And the others?" Chi-Chi's voice asked then.

"They'll be fine, too. In fact, Kakkarot is already healed; he's washing up in the next room. He just had some fractures and light ki burns," the doctor remarked. "Raditz and Okarana need another hour or so, and Bardock should be well by sometime this evening."

"That's good," Chi-Chi sighed softly. Vegeta began to sink back down, and missed some of the conversation, but came back up just long enough to hear Bulma say quietly,

"I think I'll stay here with him for a while longer."

The gravity room vanished in a large puff of pale orange smoke, and the clearly labeled capsule spun in the air for a moment before Vegeta caught it and put it in the case Bulma had provided. It was the last piece of training equipment to be capsulized, and the small case was filled with capsules with brightly colored labels. Vegeta still marveled at the technology required to make such a thing work.

"Well, that's the last of it. The rest of the stuff we're taking with us is already packed and at the space port, so we should get going," Raditz observed, his eyes distant.

"Yes, we should," Vegeta agreed, but neither moved for a moment.

"It will feel a bit strange being in space again, after so long," Raditz continued. "It'll be good, but still a little strange."

"We should have left a long time ago," Vegeta answered. Before Raditz could say anything more, Vegeta lifted into the air. "Come on, they're waiting for us."

"Yes. . .Your Highness," Raditz said, and joined his Prince in the air. They streaked back to where Bulma and Chi-Chi's house, now re-capsulized, had been, to find the two women and Kakkarot waiting for them.

"Mother and Father are with the Munotes, prepping the ship," Kakkarot told them.

"And you two have your tickets back to Earth?" Vegeta asked Bulma, hoping his heartache didn't show in his eyes.

"Yeah, we've got them," Bulma said with a stiff nod. Chi-Chi held Kakkarot's hand with her eyes downcast.

"Then let's go," Raditz said, feeling a little out of place amongst the hurting couples. "The ships won't wait forever."

"Right," Bulma sighed softly, and let out a small gasp of surprise as Vegeta lifted her into his arms. Kakkarot scooped up Chi-Chi with equal ease, and then they blazed into the skies.

At the space port, Vegeta and Kakkarot set their women down and stepped away for what would be the last time.

"With any luck, you'll be able to get home safely without Frieza ever knowing you were here," Kakkarot said to both of them, though his eyes lingered on Chi-Chi.

"Thank you for everything you did for us," Vegeta said, holding Bulma's shoulders.

"You're very welcome," Bulma said, then dared to step closer and brush her lips across his. Vegeta went slightly rigid in surprise, but managed to relax enough to enjoy the kiss. "Goodbye," she whispered.

"Goodbye, Bulma," Vegeta whispered in return.

Kakkarot and Chi-Chi barely noticed them, having gone into a deep kiss of farewell moments before.

"Goodbye," Kakkarot said against her lips.

"Goodbye," she said thickly, keeping her tears at bay through sheer force of will.

Vegeta and Kakkarot walked to where the Munote's private ship was docked, and Bulma and Chi-Chi watched them go. Raditz was standing at the top of the steps leading up to the hatchway waiting for them.

"I wonder if we'll ever see them again," he said to himself quietly.

"Are they coming yet?" Fululy asked, poking her head out of the hatchway. "Ah, yes, there they are."

"They'll be here in a moment. Is everything else ready?" Raditz asked.

"Yep! We're all here, our luggage is here, and the pilot and co-pilot are ready for take off," Fululy said. Vegeta started up the steps a moment later, but Kakkarot stopped at the foot of the ship, and looked back over his shoulder toward Chi-Chi.

"Kakkarot, get a move on!" Raditz snapped at him, and then paused as his younger brother's face suddenly twisted with anguish. Without warning, Kakkarot suddenly blasted back toward the two women, who were still standing there watching them. He landed in front of Chi-Chi and gazed at her with desperate, panicked eyes.

"Okay, this is the most stupid and most selfish thing I've ever done, but if we leave in two separate ships, we'll probably never see each other again! And I don't know if I can do that! I love you, Chi-Chi! Will you come with me!" he asked in a rush, grasping her shoulders gently. Chi-Chi's mouth fell open and her breathing quickened.

"I–I. . .Kakkarot, I–oh, Kami. . ." she stuttered out, the war waging within her clear on her face. Her desire to go with him and the fear of what could happen if she did struggled valiantly against each other.

"Kakkarot, stop being such a fool!" Vegeta barked as he landed next to his friend. His eyes were drawn to Bulma, and he hoped she didn't notice the small tremble that passed through his body. "I can't ask you to go with us. It's too dangerous," he said quietly, but his need shone from his eyes. "Frieza knows nothing about your connection to me – _us_; if you leave now, he'll never know, and he probably won't bother you any worse than he already has." Bulma swallowed deeply. He was absolutely right, and she knew it, but still. . .

"Oh, Kami, oh, Kami, forgive me! For a genius, I'm about to do something mind-blowingly stupid. . ." Bulma gasped, her own fear constricting her chest. Vegeta looked at her curiously. "I'm going with you!" she declared. Chi-Chi, encouraged by her friend, fell against Kakkarot's chest.

"So am I!" she declared.

"What!" Vegeta gasped, not believing his ears.

"I'm not arguing!" Kakkarot said, scooping up Chi-Chi and flying back to the ship.

"I hate it when he's right," Vegeta grumbled, then picked up his own woman and flew back to the ship as well.

"I can't believe it; Mom was right! I _am_ running away with a rock star!" Bulma muttered to herself as she boarded the spacecraft. The door shut behind them and a few minutes later, they lifted off.

Frieza's ship arrived a week later. As they neared the planet, their radar tracked the thousands of ships that had left Mikusubodo. Frieza already knew that Dodoria had failed; otherwise, he would have heard back from him long ago. Clearly, living on this planet hadn't softened the Saiyan Prince up as much as they had believed.

"It seems all of the inhabitants have left," the helmsman said as he looked over the readouts his scanning equipment gave him.

"Chase down every last one of those ships if you have to, but find the Saiyan Prince! Or so help me, all of your planets will suffer the same fate as Mikusubodo!" Frieza yelled at them, and then stormed from the bridge to the airlock. A moment later, he floated into space and raised one hand, which filled with a ki ball. The ball quickly grew larger until it was almost as big as the ship. With a snarl of frustration and rage, he threw the Death Ball at the planet below, and moments later, Mikusubodo burst apart in a series of blinding explosions. Frieza smiled, the bright, colorful destruction soothing his soul. "You won't escape from me a third time, Prince Vegeta," Frieza swore lowly as he watched the fireworks he had created. "Next time, I will have you – and you will beg for death before the end."

"King Vegeta, you were right – the Prince already left Mikusubodo," the first helmsman said as he programmed in a new course.

"Of course, he did. Frieza wouldn't have just blown up Mikusubodo if my son was still there," the King answered brusquely. "But did you find the signal?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, we just picked it up," the second helmsman said as he watched a red light blink on the control panel.

Years ago, when King Vegeta sent his son away, one of the data discs he'd sent with him had a tracking device imbedded into it, just in case. "Helmsman, if the inventor of that device is still alive, I must remember to reward him richly," King Vegeta said with a grin. "Follow that signal!"

Orivu - a play on olive.

Kari - from my other fanfiction, full name Kari Furauu; Japanese for cauliflower.

Pota - a play on potato.

Durstite - a play on the word "sturdy."

LRP - Longest Range Possible.

Until next time:)


	9. WaySaiyans9

I LIIIIIVE!!! I am so sorry this took so very long; suffice it to say, real life can really suck sometimes. But this story was never abandoned, and it will be finished, I swear! Hopefully this year!

Thanks again to everyone who's written reviews for me; you all rock! It really does help get me going knowing that people are reading and enjoying my work!

And for those with less positive reviews, thanks to you too, for pointing out what needs to be fixed!

DBZ isn't mine, I'm just playing with it. It belongs to Akira Toriyama, FUNimation, and others I'm not sure of. All original characters are mine.

The Ways of the Saiyans

by

NansJns

Chapter 9: Crash

"Where should we go?" Sasu asked, turning away from the star-filled window by his side. The sound of his voice was a bit startling, even to him; since they had received word that Frieza had destroyed Mikusubodo some hours ago, they all had been very quiet. No one had spoken at all for over an hour. Even so, it took the others a few moments to truly roust all the way out of their private thoughts so someone could answer him.

"I was thinking we'd head for the nearest big, populated area, trade out ships, and then figure out where to go next," Fululy said, her voice much thinner than usual.

"I was thinking much the same thing, actually," Durama said with a quick head nod. "But where can we go? Most of the galaxy knows our faces!"

"I can't believe Mikusubodo is gone," Tammibo whispered, not entirely listening to the other conversation, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"At least all of the people escaped; that's something, Sis," Fululy said comfortingly as she wrapped an arm around her baby sister. Tammibo sniffled sadly even as she nodded in agreement.

"No more running," Vegeta said through gritted teeth to no one in particular. His hands had been balled into angry fists for the last quiet hour. He raised them in front of his chest and tightened them even more as he announced, "The next time Frieza gets close, we stand and fight!"

"Agreed; no more of this cowardice," Raditz said from a seat across the way from Vegeta.

"If we could just get stronger quicker. . ." Kakkarot said.

"For now, I'd be happy to remain a safe distance from Frieza," Chi-Chi observed softly, and Kakkarot reached over and squeezed her hand. Vegeta had fallen into deep thought, and didn't hear her. Bulma, sitting next to him, watched him for a few moments, until her curiosity overwhelmed her.

"Vegeta? What are you thinking about so hard?" she asked lightly, and he glanced at her.

"Something my father told me, a long time ago. Something I've kept in mind during all of my years on Mikusubodo," Vegeta answered. "I am the first in many generations to have the potential to reach the ultimate, sacred power of our people; to become a Super Saiyan. I've been trying to reach that power for as long as I can remember, but haven't attained it yet."

"'Super Saiyan'?" Bulma asked blankly; she hadn't come across that phrase in her research on the Saiyans. Vegeta nodded.

"It's said that centuries ago, a Saiyan warrior emerged who was amazingly powerful; a 'Super Saiyan.' His strength was boundless, and he was invincible in combat, but something went horribly wrong. He went mad and nearly destroyed our world before he destroyed himself. When I was born, they were certain I could reach the level of that legendary warrior and free us from Frieza's rule forever. Of course, I plan to avoid the self-destruction part of it," Vegeta added, his eyes flashing as he recounted the ancient legend.

"Wow," Bulma observed quietly. She ran the story through her mind a few times, biting her tongue a little to keep from asking all kinds of questions about it. She decided quickly, though, that one question couldn't hurt. "How will you know when you reach that level?" Vegeta was quiet for a moment.

"When I'm stronger than everyone else," he finally said, not wishing to admit that he wasn't sure if there was any actual way to tell when that level was reached other than that. There was one part of the legend that said the Super Saiyan had golden fur as an oozaru, but no one knew if that was true or not.

Bardock rubbed his temples quietly, ignoring the discussions going on around him. His latest vision was finally coming true. He had long suspected that the explosion he'd been seeing was Mikusubodo, and now, sure enough, it was gone, blown into space dust by Frieza. Kami, he hated that little lizard! This was the second time the small tyrant had destroyed Bardock's home. His head was starting to throb and he knew another vision was on its way. He tried to stave it off for as long as he could, as he was in no mood to be presented with another glimpse of future horror he could do nothing to prevent. The vision, however, refused to be denied, and small flashes began to overtake his eyes.

"_Not now_," he growled low in his throat. Okarana glanced over at him.

"Did you say something?" she asked carefully, noting her mate's obvious discomfort. He had closed the door between their minds a few moments ago; obviously in an effort to keep her from noticing he was having troubles. "Is it another vision?" she whispered softly to him.

"Yes," he admitted with a grimace, glancing at her. In that moment, his concentration slipped enough for the vision to take over. He saw, again, the crumbling statue of Vegeta-sei's god, the voanium tower, the battle between Frieza, his prince, and Kakkarot. . .but now, something new appeared: Vegeta knelt before his badly injured father, who was pushing the Royal Medallion into his son's hands with bloody, trembling fingers.

((But that's impossible; the King died years ago with Vegeta-sei! Didn't he. . .?)) Bardock thought in confusion as the vision did another subtle shift, now showing him a brief glimpse of High General Nappa towering over the two Earth women who now traveled with them. He was glaring at them threateningly and saying something Bardock couldn't quite make out, though he was sure he caught the word "whores."

Bardock shook his head hard to clear it. That had made less sense than usual, which was saying quite a bit, and he swiftly decided to keep it to himself for the time being. Was it possible? Could the King and Nappa be alive? But if they were, where were they? The colonies, perhaps?

Bardock, his family, and their prince had chosen to stay on Mikusubodo out of concern of being spotted and recognized en route to the colonies, since the only ships on Mikusubodo that could take them there would have had to stop for fuel at least once along the way, and Okarana had destroyed the pod she had taken to Mikusubodo shortly after she and the children had arrived (they couldn't all have fit in it, anyway). It had been a very discouraging and frustrating situation, knowing there were more Saiyans out there and also knowing there was no safe way to reach them. Now, Bardock half-wished they had taken the chance some years ago; but what was done couldn't be undone. Anyway, none of that mattered now; what mattered was figuring out their next move. And if they were to meet up with the king again in the future, so be it.

As Bardock contemplated the new additions to his vision, a low beeping sound suddenly started in the cockpit, a few feet away from where they were all sitting. Vegeta heard it first then quickly motioned for everyone else in the room to be quiet. Once the other conversations had been silenced, the Saiyans could just make out the sounds of the pilot muttering in frustration and punching a few buttons as the beeping grew steadily louder and faster. Vegeta stood, marched into the cockpit and glared down at the pilot, a slender Mikusobodo-jin man a bit shorter than he was. Bardock and Okarana would have flown the ship, except that neither of them was familiar enough with Mikusubodo-jin controls to know how.

"What does that beeping mean?" Vegeta demanded lowly. The pilot looked up at him with a slight sheen of nervous sweat on his face.

"It's the proximity alert," he admitted. "There's a ship closing in on our position, fast. But I don't recognize its design, so I can't tell if it's Frieza's men or not," he continued as he motioned to a readout screen on his right. The machine had an outline of the ship that was coming at them on its screen. Vegeta frowned deeper as he realized he didn't recognize its shape either.

Bardock quickly joined his prince in the cockpit to get a look for himself. Looking over Vegeta's shoulder, he saw the image of the ship and felt his jaw drop before he could stop it.

"That's. . .impossible!" Bardock almost gasped, and Vegeta and the pilot turned to look at him.

"What is?" Vegeta asked, wondering what could make the older Saiyan so surprised.

"That ship - it's a 'Moon Flare'! They were being developed by some of the scientists on Vegeta-sei, but it was still in the design phase when I left. Only a few were ever made, and they were only ever used by us Saiyans!" Bardock said quickly, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Did you just say 'Moon Flare'?" Okarana asked from her seat, and Bardock sent her a swift nod. "But how-?"

"Could someone have salvaged one of the ships?" Vegeta asked, ignoring Okarana and the surprised pilot, who hadn't known he had Saiyans on board before.

"I don't know," Bardock admitted with a slight frown. "But, I don't think so," he added quietly after a moment, thinking of his vision.

King Vegeta strummed his fingers across his armrest impatiently. They had been trailing what they assumed was his son's ship for what felt like years, but out of the need to remain unnoticed by Frieza, they had to be careful and subtle, two things most Saiyans weren't very good at. He was fighting the urge to order his helmsmen to go full speed and bring them up alongside the ship they were following. His thick muscles twitched with the desire for movement; he was quite close to getting up and pacing.

"Aren't we in communications range yet?" he growled at the helmsmen.

"Not yet, Sire; but very soon now," the Saiyan on the right said quickly.

The king got up from his chair and walked over to the helm to have a look at the readings, just to give himself something to do. As his dark eyes glanced over the various machines, noting what they said, he noticed the proximity sensors had picked up on something a short distance behind them.

"What is that?" the king asked, motioning to the read out.

"Most likely an asteroid, Your Majesty; it's just barely big enough for our sensors to notice," the Saiyan on his left answered calmly.

"How big, and what shape?" King Vegeta asked lowly, his muscles tensing beneath his skin. He had a very bad feeling about this. The helmsman on the right punched a few buttons to get the requested information, which was brought up on a small screen a moment later.

"Spherical, and about 100 namerts in diameter. . .oh, shit, you don't think -?" the helmsmen both jerked with realization.

"A pod!" the king snarled. "Full speed! Get us to my son's ship NOW!"

"Yes, Lord Frieza, I'm quite certain I've located the ship the Moon Flare is following," the solider in the one-man pod said into his communicator. Like most of the people under Frieza's command, he was a burly male in armor and boasted the pale green skin and horns so many of his people had. "Transmitting coordinates now."

"Very good, Hambur. I see bright things in your future, maybe even a promotion," Frieza's voice answered over the communicator, sounding happier than he had in months. He had sent out almost all of the one-man pods on his ship to track the ships that had escaped from Mikusubodo, but when Hambur had reported seeing a Moon Flare, a craft they all knew was only ever used by those "damn monkeys," as Frieza liked to call them, apparently tracking one of the Mikusobodian ships, they had known that was the one to keep track of.

"Anything to serve, my Lord!" Hambur said modestly, though his pink eyes flashed his pleasure at his leader's praise.

"We will be there momentarily," Frieza's voice said. "Over and out!"

"The hell-?! The Moon Flare just quintupled its speed! It's going to be right on top of us in two minutes!" the Mikusubodo-jin captain yelped in surprise as the proximity alert began to blare loudly. He turned it off quickly so it wouldn't distract him.

"What?!" Bardock and Vegeta both snapped. Before either could say anything more, the communication beacon suddenly beeped.

"Attention, Mikusubodo-jin ship!" a deep voice boomed from the ship's communicator, and an image of the Saiyan King suddenly filled the view screen. "I am King Vegeta of the Saiyan people and I want to speak to my son!"

Vegeta froze for a fraction of a second as he stared at the screen. The face was very much like his own, but older, harder, and bearded, and he had the same upswept, spiky hair, though his own held a hint of red. How could it be. . .?

"Father?" he asked, not sure he believed his own eyes.

Bardock immediately fell into a bow, his right arm across his chest in the traditional Saiyan salute, while the Mikusubodo-jin captain just sat there and stared in stunned surprise. Upon hearing the ruckus coming from the cockpit, several of the passengers in the back started pushing forward to try and see what was going on. As soon as they saw what was on the view screen, Okarana and Raditz also bowed and made the salute, but Kakkarot was too surprised to think of it.

"The king is alive?!" Kakkarot gaped.

Bulma, Chi-Chi, and the Munotes stood behind the Saiyans, unable to fit into the already overcrowded cockpit and couldn't quite see what was going on.

"Did he just say 'king'?" Sasu asked.

"I thought Vegeta's parents died when their world was destroyed!" Harpena whispered, suddenly wondering if she and her husband were in trouble.

"Vegeta - it's good to see you again, my son," King Vegeta said, his eyes growing warm for a moment. Then his eyes focused on the extra Saiyans in the group. "Who are you? What are you doing with my son?" he asked sharply.

"My name is Bardock, Your Majesty," Bardock said quickly, and then motioned to his family. "I'm a third-class soldier. . .she is my mate, Okarana, and these two are our sons, Raditz and Kakkarot."

"Bow, you idiot!" Raditz hissed at his little brother when he realized the younger man was still staring at the screen straight on. Kakkarot bowed quickly, but stiffly. He wasn't used to such formality.

"We found your son by accident years ago. . .it's a very long story. . ." Okarana started.

"Then it can wait! What I want to know now is what stupid bastard allowed my son to go on a live broadcast, make a fool of himself and announce his presence to Frieza!" King Vegeta snapped. Prince Vegeta frowned sharply and bristled at his father's harsh words.

"I did not make a fool of myself and that performance wasn't supposed to be broadcast at all!" he said sharply.

"And we didn't know he was doing it until it was too late!" Bardock added in quickly. It wasn't entirely the truth, but it was close enough. They hadn't known about the first time Vegeta had performed and it had all just snowballed from there.

"I suppose we're the ones to blame; we let him, we even encouraged him - but his part of the concerts were never supposed to be broadcast to the universe at large! No pictures, anyway - just his voice! We were betrayed - " Durama said, pushing forward slightly with Harpena. King Vegeta glared at them darkly, but they refused to waver.

"I will handle you when I can; right now, there's no time - " King Vegeta started, only to be cut off by both ships' proximity alarms blaring loudly. "DAMN! How'd he get here so fast?!"

"Who - FRIEZA?! You led Frieza to us?!" Vegeta snapped in fury. "You idiot!"

"Don't talk to me that way, boy!" his father snarled in turn.

"There's no time for this! We have to get out of here! Everyone, strap yourselves back in! I'm starting evasive maneuvers as soon as we're all secured!" the Mikusubodo-jin pilot yelled at all of them, and the Munotes, Bulma, and Chi-Chi immediately headed back to the passenger area. King Vegeta startled for a fraction of a second as he caught sight of Bulma's blue hair, but then swiftly put it aside. The alien pilot was right, there was no time anymore.

"We'll get back to this shortly!" the king said, before cutting the communication. The Saiyans then went back into the passenger area and strapped themselves in.

"We're in range, Lord Frieza!" Frieza's helmsmen said as the two alien ships filled the view screen.

"Good. Fire on them both!" the tyrant lizard said with a supremely satisfied smile.

"Destroy them?" the helmsman asked for clarity, slightly confused.

"Go ahead and destroy the Moon Flare. I don't care who's on that - but only disable the ship the prince is on. I've waited far too long to get my hands on him to throw away this opportunity! His death must be much slower and more grand, and before a much larger audience. The universe needs to see what happens to those who dare to defy Frieza!" Frieza declared and the people at the weapons stations targeted the ships.

"Targets locked – FIRE!" the purple being said coldly as the ship's weapons fired.

The lasers cut through the darkness of space, a glowing red wound across the void. The Moon Flare, built for maneuverability, dodged the first barrage easily enough, but the second clipped its right side. For a moment, it started to spin, but it quickly righted itself again and then turned to face its attacker.

"Are you certain about this, my king?" asked the helmsman on the right.

"Positive! Return fire!" King Vegeta barked, and the helmsman on the left pressed the firing button.

"Lord Frieza, The Moon Flare is returning fire!" said one of Frieza's helmsmen in shock.

"What?!" Frieza said, just as the attack hit. The ship trembled for a moment, but nothing more. "Those damn monkeys! They never did know when to quit!" Frieza snarled then turned to his men again. "Keep firing, you idiots! Blast that ship out of the sky! _And don't let the prince escape!_" he bellowed as he saw on the view screen the ship he was certain the Saiyan prince was on make a hard turn to starboard and start to fly off at top speed.

"Shouldn't we be helping?!" Bardock snarled at the pilot as the Mikusubodo-jin worked rapidly to get them away from the battle.

"Would if we could, sir, but this ship has only minimal weapons - nothing that could punch through the shielding on one of those Aisu-jin monstrosities! Not to mention our own shielding wouldn't stand up to more than two hits from their -" the pilot's explanation was cut short by an explosion as one of the lasers struck their side. The ship was sent flipping end over end as sparks flew everywhere and the damage alarms screamed. In all of the chaos that followed, they only felt the second strike's impact when it sent the ship spinning in a different direction. Bardock pulled off his restraints and threw himself into the cockpit to check on what was happening, only to find the pilot dead in his seat. The Saiyan warrior swore in his people's tongue loudly as he started trying to right the ship.

A few quick glances at the damage readouts told him how much trouble they were in. The hull had two massive tears through it, three of the four stabilizers were destroyed, the engine was all but totaled, and they were losing air. More reports came flooding in, listing broken part after broken part. About the only things that weren't damaged were the five escape pods. Bardock continued to wrestle with the controls, hoping to at least slow their tumble enough for them to plan their next move. Though, as the computer spewed even more damage reports, he had a solid guess what that next move would be.

"Damn that bastard lizard to hell!" King Vegeta cursed loudly as he watched his son's ship spiral out of control. "He won't take my son from me, not after I finally found him again!" the Saiyan monarch growled to himself so low that his crew didn't hear. He then turned to the man at the weapons' post. "Fire again, damn it!"

Bardock was finally getting the ship to slow down when a new alarm screamed through the air. He didn't even have to look; that same alarm was used on all ships for the same purpose.

"The engine is going to explode! We have to abandon ship! The escape pods have a good range, so we should be able to reach safety!" Bardock said as he flung himself back into the passenger area. The others were already unbuckling themselves.

"But none of the pods can hold more than four people!" Durama said, looking worriedly around at the crowd around him.

"We're going to have to split up. In truth, that's the best way to go. Frieza won't know who to follow," Vegeta said, a cloudy look on his face.

"Yeah, 'cause that worked real good before!" Sasu snapped sharply.

"Hey, it would've if my father hadn't led him to us - how did he know where I was, anyway? Feh, I'll ask him later if he's alive!" Vegeta barked in reply.

"Who's going with whom?" Harpena cut in between her boys. There was no time for such foolishness now.

"I'm going with Chi-Chi!" Kakkarot said quickly, just as Chi-Chi proclaimed she was going with him.

"I'm with Vegeta!" Bulma said just as quickly. Vegeta said nothing, but simply grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward a pod.

"Just get into the pods, everyone! We don't have time!" Bardock snapped as he reached out and gripped Okarana's wrist. He understood where they were coming from; whatever happened, he would be with her.

"Where should we try to meet up again?" Durama asked as he and Harpena opened the door to a pod.

"Earth," Bulma said without a moment's hesitation as Chi-Chi nodded in agreement.

"But Earth is under Frieza's control!" Fululy objected, looking pale.

"Yes, but he hasn't sent anything but low-level lackeys to check on us for years, and it's not like they do house-by-house searches. Besides, Frieza still doesn't know about _us_, anyway; it's the last place he'd think to look! At least for a while," Chi-Chi explained quickly as the alarm grew louder and more insistent.

"Besides, there's a resistance movement on Earth," Bulma added.

"All right, Earth to start with, but don't count on a long stay!" Vegeta warned, and they all started diving into the escape crafts. Bulma stopped halfway to the pod and glanced at the pods that weren't going to be used.

"Hold on a sec," she said. "I have an idea!"

Moments later, the ship exploded, momentarily masking the departure of the five small escape crafts, all of them going in different directions.

"Did I not say I wanted the prince taken alive?" Frieza asked with a low snarl. The helmsman in charge of weapons began to stutter out an apology, but he didn't get past the second syllable before Frieza flung a ki ball that took the soldier's head off his shoulders.

"L-Lord Frieza, the ship's escape pods launched. The prince must be on one of t-them-" the surviving helmsman said quickly.

"How many escape pods are there?" Frieza asked, still scowling.

"Five, my Lord," the helmsman said.

"All right, set a course to the closest one. We'll gather them all up-" Frieza's orders were cut short by a sudden explosion in the hull of his ship. With a snarl of rage, the tiny tyrant turned to the view screen. "The Moon Flare is still there?!" he bellowed.

The Saiyan craft was already launching another volley, having finally penetrated Frieza's shields.

"Are we still getting the signal from my son's tracking device?" King Vegeta asked quickly as he watched the escape pods streak away.

"No, sire. He must have left it behind on the ship," the helmsman on the right said. The king heaved a brief, quiet sigh.

"No time for belongings. I figured as much. Keep firing, we need to buy them as much time as we can!" King Vegeta barked, and another round of laser fire cut the void between the ships.

"I will destroy that ship myself!" Frieza growled through tightly gritted teeth as his ship shook with another direct hit. He started to head for his personal airlock, but before he could leave the bridge, the communications screen suddenly blinked to life.

"You're getting soft in your old age, lizard!" King Vegeta called out mockingly.

For a moment, Frieza froze; then he spun around and stared at the Saiyan king on the screen before him. Rage unlike any his people had seen in him before contorted his features. His pale cheeks flushed and his black lips pulled back so far from his teeth his gums showed. His ki began to spark and crackle in the air around him and his soldiers all cringed away in fear.

"Vegeta! You're _alive_?!" Frieza snapped. "Oh, you and your son will pay dearly for this – _no one_ defies Frieza! I will kill you both _slowly_, over several days! And you know how I am _not_ known for my patience! But this, this I will want to savor. I will have your damn monkey tails hanging on my wall!"

King Vegeta merely smirked. "I'm shaking," he said, and cut the communication. The Moon Flare then banked sharply left and flew off.

"After th-!!" Frieza started, then stopped just as a sudden calm overtook him. "Ah. Of course. How feeble of him! He was distracting me, trying to get me to follow him instead of his son. Noble, but futile. Get those escape pods first _then_ follow the Moon Flare."

"U-um, Lord Frieza?" the remaining helmsman squeaked.

"What?" Frieza asked lowly.

"The engines can't take anymore. They've been strained to the breaking point and have sustained significant damage. A-and the doors to the pod bay have been destroyed, also," the helmsman said, his voice trembling.

"How long before reparations are complete?" Frieza asked with a growl.

"A-about an hour," the helmsman answered, cringing in anticipation of death.

"Those escape pods have limited engines, they won't get far in an hour," Zarbon suddenly offered before Frieza could blast the helmsman.

"Yeah, they'll still be within spitting distance!" one of the other bridge crew observed with a nasty smile.

Frieza considered their words for a moment. They were quite right; escape pods wouldn't be able to get far at all in such a short time.

"I want those engines fixed as quickly as possible!" Frieza snapped, and marched off the bridge.

Bulma tinkered with the escape pod's engine carefully through the inside wall of the pod, as she didn't want to get zapped by a random electric charge.

"You really think you can get more power out of that thing?" Vegeta asked as he watched her. Various tools were spread out around her, courtesy of one of her hoi poi capsules.

"Hey, I am a genius! Give me an engine and I'll make it do the hokey-pokey if I want it to," Bulma answered confidently. "I'll double our speed at the very least; maybe triple it if I can, and if the ship will take it."

"Are you sure we'll be able to steer it properly?" Kakkarot asked as he looked at the limited controls.

"No problem; I'm gonna upgrade those in a few minutes, too," Bulma chuckled.

"Shouldn't you do them first?" Vegeta said.

"Not really; until I know how much more speed we're going to have, I don't know how much the controls will need to be calibrated," Bulma explained.

"It doesn't look like we're being followed yet," Chi-Chi murmured to herself. "I wonder why?"

"Just count our blessings; it probably won't last long," Kakkarot told her with a sigh.

"That's why we need more speed and control. Why are escape pods so slow and simple, anyway?" Bulma muttered as she examined a group of brightly colored wires. "I mean, we're in space – shouldn't we have at least enough _oomph_ to reach a planet or something?"

"How much '_oomph_' you'd need for that depends on where you got stranded," Vegeta pointed out. "The distance between planets can be enormous, in case you forgot."

"Okay, granted," Bulma said distractedly. "Can I have some quiet here, guys? I need my full concentration on this."

"Okay," they all said quietly and then fell silent, watching her work. For several minutes the only sounds were Bulma's mutterings, metal tapping metal, clippings, and the occasional sound of a mini blowtorch.

"All right, this. . .should. . .do it," Bulma said as she made her last adjustment. The moment she finished speaking, the pod suddenly lurched forward at alarming speed, throwing them all off their feet.

"Well, I'd say you succeeded!" Vegeta said as he leaped for the controls.

"Told you I could do it!" Bulma smiled proudly as she pulled herself up on one of the four chairs. "I got more out of it than I expected!"

"But you haven't adjusted the controls yet!" Chi-Chi pointed out from where she was half-pinned to the back of the pod.

"Good point," Bulma said, and headed for the next part of the ship she intended to upgrade. "Cut the engine while I work, it'll be easier!" she told Vegeta, and with a nod, he powered down the engine.

The pod slowed considerably, though its momentum kept it moving swiftly forward. Kakkarot looked out the window and gaped for a moment. "How far did we go?" he asked. "There wasn't an asteroid belt nearby, was there?"

"Not that I knew of," Vegeta answered as he took in the hundreds of floating, space-bound rocks that drifted ahead of them.

"Bulma, you out did yourself this time," Chi-Chi said, slightly awe-struck and nervous.

"Hey, when you're hot, you're hot, and I am sizzling!" Bulma smirked.

"How long will it take to rewire the controls?" Kakkarot asked, a slight edge to his voice as he continued to look out the window.

"Oh, about as long as it took me to fix up the engines; why?" Bulma asked as she pried open the control panel.

"Because we're going straight into that asteroid field!" Kakkarot said.

"Uh-oh!" Bulma hissed, and she began working far faster than she had originally planned. Reworking an alien vessel she didn't know was something that should be done slowly and carefully, but that was no longer an option. "Damn laws of physics!" she grumbled to herself.

Even as Bulma struggled to upgrade the pod's control systems to handle the new speed, the pod floated into the river of floating rocks. Vegeta, Kakkarot, and Chi-Chi stared out the windows anxiously as their tiny ship flew past stones of all shapes and sizes. Chi-Chi blinked for a moment as one asteroid passed very close to her window.

"Hey, that one had grass on it!" she said, pointing to the rock. "Blue grass, but grass!"

"So does that one!" Kakkarot said, pointing to a larger asteroid a short distance away.

"That's a tree," Vegeta said lowly, pointing to a third rock. "That explains it – this isn't just an asteroid field; it's the remains of a planet! Probably Frieza's handiwork."

"Once I get the computer back up and running, we can check the navigational system to see where we are," Bulma said distractedly as she examined the machine in front of her. The sound of tiny rocks bouncing on the skin of the escape pod made the four occupants jump, and Bulma began working even faster.

"Bulma-" Vegeta started.

"I know! I know! I'm going as fast as I can!" she cut him off. Her hands flashed at a speed even Saiyans could respect as she made what modifications she could. "All right, that should work well enough for now!" she said at last as she put the panel back and began packing her tools back into their capsule.

"Then let's get out of here," Vegeta said as he brought the engines back online. The small escape pod lurched forward again, but this time, Vegeta was able to guide it more carefully. They moved through the scattered corpse of the nameless planet and nearly escaped out the other side unscathed. Small stones that were too tiny to avoid struck them, leaving tiny punctures in their metal hide.

"Crap! We'll need to land so we can patch the hull before we start losing oxygen," Bulma scowled. "Why can't anything go right?"

"All things considered, that went quite well -" Kakkarot said, only for a small explosion to cut him off mid-sentence.

"What the hell?!" Vegeta barked.

"Were we hit?!" Chi-Chi yelped.

"No! I overloaded the engine! Damn it!" Bulma said, pearls of sweat sliding down her cheeks. "We have to land NOW!"

"There's another planet right over there. The computer says the air is breathable – go for it!" Kakkarot said quickly, pointing toward another world whose orbit must have been fairly close to the world that had been destroyed.

"Strap yourselves in! This is gong to be rough!" Vegeta said as he took the controls.

It took five minutes to hit the planet's outer atmosphere and less then ten before they hit the ground. The four occupants of the vessel were brutally flung around as the ship impacted, the pod's jolting entry leaving a deep trench in its wake, chunks of the vessel breaking free as it went. When at last they stopped moving, they were all bruised and sore, but intact, and they quickly climbed out of the damaged escape pod.

They had landed beside a wooded area, with no sign of any kind of civilization nearby. The grass and the leaves on the trees were an odd shade of green, and the air was a bit heavy. Small fires ignited by their landing smoldered in patches around the crash site and along the trench they had created, and chunks of twisted, half-melted metal lay scattered across the ground.

Vegeta cursed loudly when he saw the damage. "You can't fix this, can you?"

"I don't think so. . .I'm sorry, I thought it would work," Bulma said, dropping her eyes in shame. Vegeta sighed heavily and took her hand.

"It did work, just not for very long," he said.

"Well, at least no one will think to look for us here," Chi-Chi offered with a weak smile.

"That's true -" Kakkrot agreed. "That last burst probably covered several light years, I think, and they won't expect us to have gone to ground so soon – we have time to plan our next move."

"For starters, let me make absolutely sure I can't fix the pod," Bulma said, a slight tremor in her voice. As she examined the ship, the others began brainstorming.

"There could be a civilization somewhere on this world," Chi-Chi pointed out. "We should check for that first, if Bulma can't fix our ship."

"Agreed. In fact, Kakkarot, why don't you take a quick look now? Save some time," Vegeta said as Kakkarot nodded.

"I'll look for some food and water while I'm at it," the taller Saiyan said. Vegeta gave a nod and grunt in agreement.

"I don't have much of an appetite right now, myself," Chi-Chi observed with a shrug.

"Just wait until you actually have food in your mouth – you may find you're ravenous," Vegeta answered. He knew the effects of adrenaline well enough to know what it could do to one's stomach.

"He has a point, Chi-Chi. Still, you don't have to eat if you don't want to," Kakkarot said gently.

"Let's just focus on finding out if there's anyone else here first, okay?" Chi-Chi said, waving them both off.

"Right, I'd better get moving," Kakkarot said, and turned on his heel to go.

"Prince Vegeta?!" a male voice none of them knew suddenly gasped just as Kakkarot had started to rise into the air. Chi-Chi automatically whipped around in a battle stance as Vegeta and Kakkarot unleashed several ki balls in the direction the voice had come from, and for a moment Chi-Chi was blinded by the light. "Wait! Wait! Calm down! I'm a Saiyan!" the voice cried out as the unknown man dodged the ki attacks. As he spun out of the way of one particularly large ki ball, Kakkarot grabbed him from behind.

"You're what?" Kakkarot asked.

"A Saiyan! Sworn to the House of Vegeta!" the man answered, and proceeded to recite the Saiyan Oath of Loyalty in their native language.

Now that the light of the ki attacks had faded, they got a good look at their visitor. He was tall, slightly taller than Kakkarot, broad shouldered, square-chinned, and seemed quite old. His face was heavily lined, and his shoulder-length spiky hair and beard were a hard iron gray. He wore a heavily patched black shirt and pants, with cracked Saiyan armor and a chipped scouter over his right eye. His eyes were brown and clear, if slightly flustered, and he had a small scar that started at the bridge of his nose and went under his left eye. A long brown tail flecked with gray hairs was wrapped around his waist, and he uncoiled it so they could see it better and to prove it was real.

"Oh – sorry," Kakkarot said as he let the Saiyan man go.

"I should be the one to apologize," the man answered. "I know better than to startle warriors who have just had their lives threatened. But I was so shocked to the see the prince – you _are_ the prince, aren't you? You look just like King Vegeta-"

"I am. But who are you? What are you doing here?" Vegeta asked, suddenly very curious. What were the odds that they'd run into another Saiyan on this world? He'd wager that even Bulma would have trouble with odds that large.

The old Saiyan bowed and crossed his right arm over his chest.

"Forgive me, Your Highness – my name is Kele. I was a scientist, an archeologist, on Vegetasei. I was taking some recently discovered relics to the colonies . . .I don't know how long it's been, standard time, but years on this planet. . . Something in my ship malfunctioned, and I had to land here. I wasn't able to get my ship working again. I'm no mechanic, and I didn't dare call for help once I heard over the scouter that Frieza had destroyed Vegeta-sei," the old Saiyan explained. "When I saw your ship crashing, I came to investigate."

"Maybe I can fix your ship. It can't be any worse than our escape pod," Bulma observed with a wave to the wreckage. "It's beyond hope."  
"Who are you? Why are you with the prince?" Kele asked with a tilt of his head.

"I'm Bulma Briefs, from Earth. I'm, ah -" Bulma paused for a moment, trying to think of how to describe her relationship with Vegeta.

"She's my lover. That's Kakkarot, my friend, and his woman, Chi-Chi Ox," Vegeta suddenly cut in, and Bulma blushed slightly at his bluntness. Kele looked confused, and seemed to be about to question Vegeta's words, but then thought better of it.

"Well, I can say for certain my ship is in better shape than that pod – I didn't crash," Kele said. "You really think you can fix it?"

"Hey, if it's just some kind of mechanical failure, I should be able to figure it out in no time!" Bulma said with a proud smile.

"Very well, then, It can't hurt for you to look. Follow me," Kele said as he straightened up and turned to the west. Then he suddenly twitched and bowed to Vegeta again. "That is, if it pleases Your Highness to -"

"Of course, it does. Now show us the way to your ship," Vegeta said with an exasperated sigh.

"Right this way. It's some distance, it'll be faster to fly," Kele said, and rose into the air. Kakkarot quickly scooped up Chi-Chi as Vegeta wrapped his arms around Bulma's waist.

"How much further?" Vegeta asked as they flew into the sky.

"About eighty-four miles," Kele answered.

"You saw us crashing from over eighty miles away?!" Bulma gasped.

"How?!" Chi-Chi blurted in the same moment. Vegeta and Kakkarot looked equally surprised.

"Good eyes," the old Saiyan said simply, and grinned. "And the scouter helped. It picked up the ki readings of the prince and – ah, Kakkarot, was it?"

"Yes," Kakkarot nodded.

"Is there anyone else on this world?" Chi-Chi asked, though she had a good idea of what the answer would be.

"No," Kele said. "Lots of animals, plenty of plant life, but not another person to be seen."

"You said you were transporting relics – what kind of relics?" Vegeta inquired with genuine interest. Having to leave behind the few items from Vegeta-sei he'd had with him was a sore point for him, and the idea of relics from his home planet's past was somewhat appealing.

"Various things," Kele answered, clearly pleased with the topic. "Ancient weapons and jewelry; some scrolls, tapestries, and statues. I'd be happy to show Your Highness, while your. . .woman works on the ship."

Bulma didn't like his tone of voice when he called her Vegeta's "woman". There was something in it that said he disapproved of her on some level. "Hey, I'd like to see them, too," she said.

"One thing at a time," Vegeta said coolly, sensing the building ire in the woman he held. He wasn't totally surprised by Kele's uncertainty about Bulma, and he'd have private words with the older Saiyan when he could. "Fix the ship first, and you can look over the relics as much as you like while we head to Earth."

Bulma considered that for a few moments, and then nodded. "All right, fair enough."

"Earth?" Kele said with an arched eyebrow. "If you don't mind, Your Highness, I have many questions of my own. . ."

"Yes, I'm sure you do," Vegeta said with a slight frown. "It's a long story." As Vegeta gave Kele the short version of what had happened to him as a child and what was happening now, without fully delving into the whole "Blue Lady" issue, the young prince made a mental note that when they got to the colonies, he would do one big broadcast to explain the situation, and that would be it. He had no desire to answer endless questions from countless followers.

"I hope your families are okay," Chi-Chi murmured to Kakkarot as Vegeta spoke to Kele. "They won't have moved as fast and Frieza must be furious!"

"I hope so, too; but my parents and older brother can more than hold their own. It's the Munotes I'm most worried for; they aren't warriors of any sort. If Frieza got hold of them. . ." Kakkarot's voice trailed off. Then he shook his head and forced a smile. "Well, I'm sure they'll be fine! We'll see them again, soon enough, somewhere on Earth! In the meantime, I'm more than a little curious about these relics myself; I don't really remember Vegeta-sei, and seeing some of its history should be interesting."

Chi-Chi nodded and tightened her grip on him a little in a comforting gesture. She more than understood the need for a distraction, and she knew they needed to keep their spirits up and their heads clear until they reached Earth. She just wished Kele wouldn't look at her and Bulma with such coldness and confusion. It made her a bit nervous, and more than a bit annoyed. She decided to focus on the annoyance; anger would be more helpful right now than fear. _At least we found another ship! That's the first thing that's gone right all day!_ she thought to herself.

"How much longer until our engines are ready?" Frieza asked as he drummed the armrest of his chair with impatient fingers.

"Another twenty-five minutes, more or less, my Lord," said the helmsman.

"Make it less!" Frieza barked. "I want no more delays!"

"Yes, my Lord!" the helmsman squeaked, and relayed the message to the repair crew.

"No more games," Frieza growled. "No more escapes, no more hiding – the next time I find you, Prince Vegeta, will be the last!"

To Be Continued. . .

No, the story isn't over, there are a few more chapters yet; but I swear they will come out in a timely manner! Thank you to all of my readers who actually came back!

Kele = a wordplay on leek.


	10. WaySaiyans10

Muwahaha, I'm on a roll! It feel so good to have this fic moving again!

All the usual disclaimers apply: Dragonball Z and all its characters belong to Aira Toriyama-sama, Toei, FUNimation, etc. I'm just borrowing them for a bit. All original characters belong to me, and you need to ask before you use them, please.

The Ways of the Saiyans

by

NansJns

Chapter 10: Past and Present

Kele's ship was a standard freight hauler, not unique to any species or world, which Vegeta realized was a stroke of brilliance. Unless Freiza's people knew that its pilot was Saiyan, they would have no reason to pay any attention to such a nondescript carrier, and it could go almost anywhere without anyone noticing or caring. What better way to transport items to secret colonies? No doubt all of the materials and eventually the people had been transported to the colonies in such ships. And it would provide the perfect vehicle for getting them safely to Earth, once Bulma had it up and running again. Vegeta wished, briefly, that their families could've been with them, but he put the thought aside quickly. Dwelling on regrets would not serve anyone.

"This is it," Kele said as they landed by the ship's open door. "My home for the last. . .ten or eleven standard years, if you're right on when Vegeta-sei was destroyed."

"We are, trust us. Unfortunately, we remember hearing the news all too well," Kakkarot answered.

Bulma was smiling eagerly as she looked over the ship's outer design. "Excellent! An old Mark-4 freight transport! This type was one of the first ships I was able to study after Frieza took over Earth! I know their systems like the back of my hand; this'll be a snap!" she said, sounding greatly cheered. "Do you know if it was an electrical failure or an engine failure?" she asked Kele. The old Saiyan shrugged.

"The power systems still function, but at about half-strength. What does that tell you?" Kele asked as he led them into the ship.

"Hmm," Bulma hummed as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Tells me it could be a couple things, but I'll have to run some diagnostics just to make sure. Thank Kami I always carry a wide array of tools on me."

"You don't have any tools," Kele said in bewilderment. Bulma grinned at him as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her capsule case.

"Oh yes, I do!" she said. "You guys go ahead and check out the artifacts. This'll take some time," Bulma said with a wave of her hand as she headed for the bridge.

"Just a moment, female! The prince has not granted you permission to leave!" Kele suddenly barked, startling all of them. Vegeta shot him a sideways glance.

"We came here to repair your ship, so of course she has my permission to take care of that task," Vegeta said, only a hint of his surprise and confusion showing on his face. "And frankly, she doesn't ask or need my permission for much of anything. Is this how it was – or is – in a Saiyan court?"

"Yes, of course – no one can leave a royal presence without permission, and they certainly don't address a royal family member with such informality," Kele asserted in return, puzzled by Vegeta's confusion. "You don't remember?"

"I was five the last time I was in the court," Vegeta answered. "My memories regarding all of its protocols are a bit dim."

"Oh yes, they would be, wouldn't they?" Kele observed thoughtfully.

"Not to mention that Vegeta hasn't lived like a prince all these years. He's used to people around him just doing as they pleased. Even my family, who always showed him respect, didn't ask his permission for every little thing, or bow every few moments," Kakkarot added in before he could think better of it. Kele scowled at him.

"You would treat your prince like a commoner?" Kele asked, frowning.

"Sort of – we were in hiding, and if we had all been bowing and scraping all the time to him, it would've been a giveaway to our enemies. I'm just saying we're not used to it. Besides, Bulma and Chi-Chi aren't Saiyans, so they don't know our ways," Kakkarot replied swiftly. The older Saiyan didn't look at all mollified by that simple explanation.

"If I am not offended by it, Kele, then there's no reason you should be," Vegeta finally stepped in with a growl. "Now, just show us the relics while Bulma fixes the ship."

"Yes, Your Highness, as you wish," Kele said with a swift, stiff bow. He turned to the left and led them toward the cargo hold while Bulma resumed her trip to the bridge.

The cargo hold was large, making up over half the ship, with padded walls and heavy metal rings in the walls and floors with various cords looped through them to secure different-sized items. The space was filled with metal crates that had obviously been opened, though their contents had been placed back inside them. Bits of padding were spread about the room and hung out of the openings in the crates. Extra lights and a worktable had been brought in, no doubt by Kele.

"I had nothing better to do," Kele said before they could ask, "so I've been studying the relics."

"Makes sense to me," Kakkarot said.

"Agreed. Where was all of this found?" Vegeta asked, slightly amazed by how many artifacts there actually were. He had been picturing a much smaller group of items.

"Most of this was recovered from a dig site in the Soisa Valley. We came upon an entire city buried there two years after you vanished. By the time I left the dig, we had yet to determine whether the city's burial had been caused by an earthquake or a volcano or due to an oozaru rampage. It may never have been determined, now that I think about it," Kele answered.

"Did oozarus bury cities a lot on Vegeta-sei?" Chi-Chi asked Kakkarot quietly.

"Dunno about that, but it wouldn't surprise me," Kakkarot answered with a light shrug.

"Often enough, in the old days," Kele said, cutting into their conversation. "For thousands of years, the only way we could control our oozaru forms was to purposely avoid the moon phases that would trigger the transformations. For generations, it was the wild oozaru rampages that kept the Saiyan race from developing large cities and high technology. And we probably would never have become a spacefaring race if it weren't for the Truffles," Kele said as though he were addressing students in a classroom. It didn't escape any of their notices that he uttered the word "Truffles" with icy contempt.

"Truffles? Oh, yeah, I think I remember reading that your world had had two intelligent races at one point. . ." Chi-Chi remarked thoughtfully, but Kele's stern look cut off her train of thought.

"The Truffles were _not_ native to Vegeta-sei; they colonized our world long ago," Kele answered coldly. "In fact, one of these scrolls contains a recounting of their arrival and what happened during that first year."

"Colonized?" Bulma's voice suddenly said over the internal comm system.

"What are you doing?" Kele demanded with a quick look toward the comm speaker.

"Sorry, I just wanted to hear about the relics; the comm system seemed a good way to do that. On the plus side, I'm reasonably sure now that the failure must be something in the engine itself. So, the Truffles came from another world?" Bulma prompted.

"Hm, yes, the Truffles had come from a dying world, and found Vegeta-sei much to their liking. Our world was big and wasn't heavily populated. Since there was room, they offered various things in trade to the Saiyans for letting them have some of our land upon which to settle. At first, everything was fine, but then – oh!" Kele suddenly jumped as if he had been stung by something. He turned quickly to Vegeta and bowed to him again. "I nearly forgot! Your Highness, I believe I have uncovered a secret from those dark days, regarding the Super Saiyan!"

"WHAT?" Vegeta cried out in surprise. "What secret?"

"It - where did I leave that scroll? It'll be much easier to explain once I've shown it to you!" Kele said, loping off eagerly into the crowd of crates and ancient items. Vegeta, Kakkarot, and Chi-Chi followed on his heels as he worked his way through the maze he had built over the years. "It was around here somewhere – !" Kele grumbled as he searched.

They followed Kele down a corridor made by gray-blue crates on both sides then around a corner to the right. It wasn't until they were two steps around the corner that they realized that the corner itself was made of just one large box. Like all of the rest of the crates, it had been opened and the padding within loosened to reveal its contents. Two stone faces peered out from behind the padding; weathered, worn, chipped and cracked, yet still identifiably male and female. They were nearly nine feet tall, and even with the years of damage, the level of detail was amazing. Chi-Chi couldn't help thinking the statues must have been incredibly life-like when they were new. Vegeta and Kakkarot pulled the rest of the foam padding out of the way to get a better look, revealing that the two figures shared a single stone base.

The male figure was muscular, dressed in fancy armor with a cape on his shoulders; his handsome, pride-filled gaze seemed to be looking toward some far horizon. He made a formidable figure, despite his disrepair. The female statue was likewise muscled and dressed in armor, boasting a wild mane of hair that nearly reached her ankles. Although her face was a bit softer than her male counterpart, there was a strength and boldness in her lovely features that still showed through even with all of the cracks. They stood side-by-side, their faces looking out over a domain that no longer existed.

"Who do you suppose they are?" Chi-Chi wondered, looking up at the stone faces. "An early king and queen, maybe?"

"He does kinda look a little like Vegeta," Kakkarot observed with a nod. The male statue's hair was half-upswept like Vegeta's, though the rest of his hair rested on his shoulders, and there was a hint of similarity in the shape of their noses and chins.

"I'm not sure," Vegeta admitted with a slight frown. "I think he might be Biitoru, the God of Vegeta-sei, but I have no idea who she might be."

"She is Siidara, his mate," Kele said as he came back down the hall of crates, a scroll in his hands.

"I don't recall reading anything about Biitoru having a mate," Vegeta said, looking at the statue in surprise.

"For some reason, she was forgotten over the generations, and some of the realms over which she supposedly had power were attributed to Biitoru," Kele answered.

"Like what?" Kakkarot asked.

"Biitoru was the god of Battle, War, Honor, Sky, and Sun. Siidara was Goddess of Strength, Mates, Children, Wind, and the Moons. In time, Biitoru was given the moons and strength," Kele told them. "The strange thing is, considering that she was overlooked, it wasn't forgotten that the First Kings originally claimed the throne of Vegeta-sei on the basis that they were blood descendents of Biitoru, which begs the question: how could they have claimed direct lineage to him if he had no mate? In fact, I have a hypothesis that Biitoru was actually a real man once, and became deified over the generations. If that _is _so, then those First Kings weren't necessarily lying."

"Wow, kind of like the Pharaohs on Earth," Bulma said as she rounded the corner to join them.

"Aren't you supposed to be working on the ship?" Vegeta asked.

"I need to examine the engine itself, and this story was way too interesting to stay away from; I mean, I just came down to hear about the secret, of course, but this is fascinating!" Bulma answered enthusiastically.

"You guys never talked about your gods before," Chi-Chi observed lightly.

"Not many people still believed in Biitoru," Kakkarot shrugged. "My family didn't, much."

"That makes sense," Chi-Chi said with an understanding nod. She turned around and realized that there were two more large crates behind them, also holding statues. In one crate, there was a statue of Biitoru apparently standing guard over Siidara, a look of warning carved into his face. He wore simpler armor than in the first statue, and what appeared to be a ball-shaped bell hung from his belt. Unlike the first statue, this Siidara wore no armor; instead, she wore a long, flowing gown, most likely because armor would not have fit nor been comfortable around her noticeably pregnant stomach. "Well, obviously back then they were known to have had a child!" she said, pointing to the statue.

"Yes, indeed. Our third, also-forgotten deity; their son, Siidaringu," Kele said, taking two swift strides over to another crate. There he uncovered a different statue that revealed the two gods with a third before them; a strapping young man dressed in leather and armor, with long hair that all stood up on end, far spikier than his parents' or Vegeta's. "The 'God of the Golden Fire', they called him," said Kele proudly.

"Golden Fire? What does that mean?" Bulma asked.

"I'm. . .not exactly sure," Kele confessed as he gave his cheek a small scratch. "But I have a good guess, considering what I've learned about the Legendary."

"And what is that?" Vegeta asked, rounding on him and impatiently pointing at the other Saiyan's hand. "We got distracted, but you obviously found the scroll you sought! So what is this secret you think you've uncovered?"

"You know the legend of the Super Saiyan – how he was incredibly powerful, went berserk, and then destroyed himself? This scroll states that the legendary Super Saiyan came into being six months after the Truffles arrived, nearly two thousand years ago," Kele said as he spread the scroll out carefully on top of a smaller crate sitting next to the statues' crates. The scroll appeared to be made of ancient, dry leather, and the writing was faded, but still legible. "It says his mate died, and in his rage and grief, his power became like a star, a 'golden flame' that was painful to look upon. He then crossed half the land, indiscriminately destroying everything in his path, before his power turned in on itself and killed him. Many Truffles as well as Saiyans died."

"All right, some of that is new information, but what is the secret of which you spoke?" Vegeta asked, staring intently at the characters on the scroll. He couldn't read the ancient writing, but he still tried to glean meaning from the faded marks.

"It was after this rampage that the surviving Truffles drove what was left of the Saiyans into the deserts and wastelands. It was also then that they enacted prohibitive laws against allowing Saiyans to enter their cities. Our people were left to struggle for survival in the least livable areas of our world. And after they had left us starving for nearly two years, the Truffles suddenly showed up, offering what appeared to be a gesture of kindness in the form of a much-needed supply of food. They made sure that each camp of Saiyans received this 'gift' of food, which was eagerly consumed. Eventually, many Saiyans fell horribly ill, and the children born after the food had been given out also had low ki and were sickly," Kele said gravely.

"Wait, are you saying they tried to poison our ancestors?" Vegeta started, barely able to grasp what was dawning on him.

"More – I now suspect that the tainted food contained something that damaged our ancestors' DNA, to prevent another Super Saiyan from arising. There's another scroll that says, before the Legendary's rampage, several Saiyans had begun to develop incredible levels of strength; the 'Blessed of Siidaringu,' they were called. Apparently, their kis were beginning to flicker gold. The Legendary just got all the way there first," Kele explained, his face carved granite. Vegeta and Kakkarot froze where they stood for a moment.

"Damaged our DNA?" Kakkarot repeated in disbelief, his voice a croak.

"That's horrible!" Bulma breathed.

"Dear Kami," Chi-Chi said, dismayed.

"That means that no one can become a Super Saiyan!" Vegeta suddenly roared, and it took all of his self-control not to fire a ki ball through some of the crates.

"Not necessarily," Kele said quickly. "Nature is quite good at repairing itself, given enough time. I believe the damage has been healed over the generations – just look at the leaps in strength in just these last three generations alone!"

"Wait a minute, how did the Truffles suppress the Saiyans in the first place, if your ancestors were so powerful?" Chi-Chi interjected. There were parts of this story that simply didn't add up to her.

"Superior weapons technology and sheer numbers, I'm afraid," Kele answered with a shake of his head. "And since our exiled ancestors were forced into a position where they rarely got enough sustenance, they didn't have superior strength anymore."

"And possibly, except for those 'blessed' few, they weren't as powerful as we are now," Vegeta said thoughtfully. "Combined with the fact that full moons only happened once every few years, they couldn't use oozaru either, because they were too weakened by that time."

"Until they had healed enough, and were angry enough, to take back what was theirs, four generations later," Kele agreed.

"So, do you think Siidaringu was a Super Saiyan, too?" Bulma asked, looking again at the statue of the young godling.

"It's very possible," Kele said. "Or, it could be a coincidence. He may have just had a naturally gold-hued ki, or maybe he mastered fire. But, I don't think so."

"Huh, a Super Saiyan _before_ The Legendary. . ." Vegeta rumbled.

"One thing seems pretty clear," Kele said, rubbing his chin. "Extreme anger and/or pain triggers the transformation, but some other factor is needed to control its rampant power. If the anger or pain is all you have, you'll just lose control like he did."

"The question is: what else is needed?" Vegeta grunted.

"That I couldn't say for certain," the older Saiyan admitted.

After a few seconds of silence as they all digested what they had just learned, Bulma sighed.

"Well, I guess I'd better get back to fixing the engine. This is fascinating stuff, though; I can't wait to see what else is in here," Bulma observed, giving the statues one more look before heading off to the engine room.

Kele automatically opened his mouth, ready to reprimand her for her disrespectful departure from the prince's presence, but Vegeta grabbed the older Saiyan's arm before he could make a sound.

"She has my permission to come and go as she pleases, all right?" Vegeta said firmly, an edge of annoyance to his words. He was starting to wonder if he could ever get used to proper courtly life again after living in hiding for so long.

"As it pleases Your Highness," Kele answered with a nod, though it was clear he was still unhappy with the situation.

"So, what else do you have in here?" Kakkarot asked cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood. Kele glanced at him and Chi-Chi for a moment, let out a short sigh, and rolled the scroll back up.

"There are some interesting pieces of armor and jewelry you might like to see," the old Saiyan said. "The craftsmanship is quite remarkable."

As they examined some of the other relics, they could hear echoes in the walls coming from the engine room; sounds of tinkering, thumping, grinding, and Bulma's voice muttering and a couple of times swearing colorfully. At last, after over an hour, they heard a whoop of triumph. A moment later, the internal communications crackled to life.

"I've got it! I found the problem!" Bulma said gleefully over the intercom. "One of the fuel transfer nodes melted! They always did use cheap parts in these ships!"

"All right, Bulma!" Chi-Chi cheered.

"Then you can fix it?" Kele asked eagerly.

"Of course I can! But I'm going to need a hand. Unfortunately, it's not in a very convenient place, and I'll need extra hands to reach it without hurting myself," Bulma answered.

"On our way!" Kakkarot said, heading to the door of the hold with Chi-Chi at his side.

"Well done, Bulma," Vegeta called out as he and Kele followed the other two out.

"No problem for a genius like me!" Bulma chuckled over the speaker.

As befitting a ship of that size, the engine room was also large, and though designed to make repair work comparatively easy, it still contained a multitude of parts hidden behind other components, and networks of metal, wires, and tubing through which to navigate. The melted node was tucked up in a corner, behind a large, awkwardly shaped section of the engines, and there was precious little space between the two; too little for even Bulma's slender hands.

"The good news is," Bulma said as she showed them the problem, "these engines are designed to be easily disassembled and reassembled. We just need to detach that section there and set it aside, and then I can see how bad that node is and fix it; or, if I need to, replace it."

"Is that all?" Kele muttered, clearly thinking that it didn't sound so simple.

"It'll be fine. I told you, I know these kind of engines. The problem is, as you can see, once that section's detached from the rest of the engine, it's going to fall – and that's what I need you guys for, to hold it and put it safely down. And, of course, to hold it up while I reattach it later," Bulma explained with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"All right; come on, young man, you get that side," Kele sighed, and motioned Kakkarot to take the far side of the engine section. Kakkarot moved into place without complaint, and Vegeta lifted Bulma up to the area where the metal was bolted to the rest of the engine. Chi-Chi stayed to the side, steadily watching for any sign of danger. As she did, her eagle eyes spotted a loose electrical wire that nearly shocked Kele right before she warned him of it. Before long, the large piece of metal was loosened and set aside, and Bulma was removing the melted node from the wall.

"So that's all it was all this time?" Kele asked as he watched Bulma use one of her tools to easily pry loose the palm-sized piece of melted metal and silicon.

"Yep. You were still getting enough fuel flow to run the minimum electronics needed for life support, but not enough to fly. Did you even look at the engine?" Bulma asked as she dropped the damaged node into Kele's waiting hands.

"No, I don't know anything about engines, so I wouldn't know what to look for. And even if it was obvious, I wouldn't know what to do about it," Kele said with a shake of his head and a glance to the thing in his hands. "I mean, if someone needed surgery, would you know what to do just by looking at their organs?"

"No, I wouldn't," she admitted. "All right, fair enough. Sometimes I forget that what's simple and clear to me can be a total mystery to others."

"That is something many people tend to forget," Kele said, favoring her with a true smile for the first time.

"Anyway, I need to check the spare parts locker for a new node. Should worse come to worst, I'll have to cobble together a replacement, but I should have enough materials around here to do that. We should be on our way in no time!" Bulma said with confidence as Vegeta lowered her to the floor to begin her search.

The equipment in the spare parts locker was old, but still serviceable, and before long Bulma had everything back in place and secured. She was covered in grease stains and sweat as a result from all of her work that day, but her heart was lighter than it had been in some time. It felt good to use her skills, and she was sure they were reasonably safe from Frieza for the time being. Once they set out for Earth in this ship, they could really relax for a while.

"All right, that's got it!" Bulma said. "Let's go to the bridge and fire it up!"

"I'll meet you there – I need to re-secure my cargo before we lift off!" Kele said, his happiness at finally getting off this world shining through his eyes.

"Make it quick," Vegeta said with a brief smile, and the older Saiyan sped off to properly repack and tie down all of the crates.

Once on the bridge, Bulma turned on all of the systems to test them, and they all blinked obediently to life. Satisfied that the ship was once again spaceworthy, Bulma turned her attention to the navigation array.

"Now we just need to plot a course to Earth," she said cheerfully.

"First, we need to know where we are," Kakkarot observed with a smile.

"Good point," Bulma said, and began punching buttons to call up their current location.

"So, where exactly did your souped-up engines dump us?" Chi-Chi asked as the computer began displaying star maps.

"Let's see, according to this. . .this world has no official name, it's just called PX7-1123," Bulma said.

"What about the debris field?" Vegeta asked. "Did it have a name when it was in one piece?"

"Yeah, it did," Bulma nodded as the data came up on the screen. "It was called Namek-sei. It looks like the modifications to the escape pod got us about two light years away from where we started."

"I've heard of Namek-sei," Vegeta said with a frown. "Frieza destroyed it a year ago; but I never heard why."

"Was it populated?" Chi-Chi asked, hoping the answer was "no".

"Not heavily, but there was an indigenous intelligent race," Bulma answered with a soft frown. "What could they have done to make Frieza so angry?"

"Maybe Kele heard something over his scouter," Kakkarot suggested. "We could ask."

"How long do you think he'll be re-securing the relics?" Chi-Chi wondered aloud.

"Not long; he wants to get off this world pretty badly," Kakkarot said with a slight chuckle.

"In the meantime, I'm going to make sure nothing is left of the escape pod – Frieza and his followers will never know we were here," Vegeta said, suddenly turning and marching for the door.

"Good idea," Kakkarot nodded. "It'll just look like a meteor hit; with that debris field out there, it probably happens a lot on this planet."

"Exactly," Vegeta said, and then was out the door.

Five minutes later, the sound of an explosion could be heard throughout the ship. The intercom clicked sharply as the sound faded.

"What was that?" Kele called out urgently.

"Vegeta is destroying what's left of our pod so no one will know we were here," Bulma explained calmly.

"Wise," Kele said, more calmly now that he knew they weren't under attack.

"You just about finished down there?" Kakkarot asked.

"One more thing," Kele answered.

By the time Vegeta returned, Kele was on the bridge and they were ready to lift off. Kele bowed and saluted when Vegeta entered the bridge, and Vegeta rolled his eyes and waved the archeologist off.

"Everything ready to go?" Vegeta asked.

"Ready and waiting!" Bulma answered.

"Everyone, take a seat in the passengers' galley and strap yourselves in – takeoff can be a bit rough in these old ships," Kele said as he manned the primary flight controls.

Once everyone was secured in the passengers' galley – a small room off of the bridge with seats for non-flight crew passengers – the old freighter rumbled to life and lifted into the air. The g-forces were a bit rough, but passed quickly once they shot free of the planet's atmosphere. As soon as the ship stopped shaking, they unlatched their seatbelts and returned to the bridge.

"On my way at last!" Kele sighed.

"Once we've reached Earth, you have my permission to go to the colonies and deliver your cargo," Vegeta told him, figuring it was what the old scientist would want the most.

"My thanks, Your Highness," Kele said with a wide smile and another bow.

"Kele, you know Frieza destroyed the world that was neighboring the one you were on, Namek-sei?" Kakkarot asked.

"Of course; the destruction was hard to miss. What of it?" Kele answered with a slight frown.

"We were wondering if you knew why he did it. I mean, did you hear anything over the scouter?" Chi-Chi said.

"Oh, I heard plenty; not that I understood it all. From what I heard over the scouter, he was looking for something called 'Dragonballs'," Kele said.

"What are Dragonballs?" Vegeta asked with a frown.

"I have no idea. Apparently, though, he found them, but they went dead before he could use them. Use them to do what, I'm not sure, but he was so mad he destroyed the whole place," Kele said.

"He wanted to use them to grant a wish," Bulma said suddenly. "We have Dragonballs on Earth; if you can find all seven, you can summon the Eternal Dragon Shenlong, and he will grant you one wish."

The three Saiyans stared at her for a moment as if certain she had slipped a cog.

"Bulma, I think you've breathed in too many engine fumes today," Vegeta told her quietly.

"I am not crazy! And I live on engine fumes!" Bulma snapped. "I _found _a Dragonball in my attic a few years ago! I've helped the resistance fighters on Earth find the other six! _We've used them_! They are very real!"

"I've seen it myself," Chi-Chi added in. "We've brought some of our fighters back from the dead with them."

There was a moment of ringing silence from the Saiyans as they stared at the two human women before them.

"And why did you never mention this before?" Vegeta suddenly boomed. "Why didn't you just wish Frieza and his men away, if such a thing is possible?"

"We tried! But unfortunately, it was beyond Shenlong's power!" Chi-Chi answered, her voice rising in volume.

"And frankly, I've never known how to tell you without sounding crazy," Bulma said. "You thought I was crazy a moment ago, didn't you? How would I have worked it into a normal conversation?"

"But – but you could've told your friends to wish away that recording of Vegeta singing Blue Lady! You could've had them wish for Mikusubodo to be hidden -" Kakkarot said, his thinking becoming rapidly frazzled.

"We thought about it, but you know as well as we do that communications between worlds aren't fully secure; we couldn't risk contacting the resistance fighters," Chi-Chi said with a sad shake of her head.

"More importantly, the Dragonballs had been used shortly before we left for Mikusubodo that last time, and they can only be used once a year," Bulma added in quickly, regret and sadness in her eyes. "I'm really sorry."

Vegeta and Kakkarot fell into a frustrated silence for several minutes as they mulled over everything they had just learned. Bulma and Chi-Chi waited tensely for them to speak, half afraid of what they might say. Finally, Kakkarot drew in a deep breath and sighed.

"Okay, well, now we know," he said. "It's a bit hard to swallow, but it's not like there aren't other kinds of 'magic' out there."

"You have to wonder what Frieza wanted to wish for," Vegeta muttered. "He already rules over most of the galaxy, so what more could he want?"

"Immortality," Kele said with a sneer. "I heard something about immortality over the scouter, and I've always wondered what it was about. I guess now I have an answer."

"Somehow, that's not surprising," Chi-Chi grimaced. "He has everything, and he wants to keep it."

"I can't imagine that his father and brother would be too happy with that," Bulma observed.

"No, but then what could either of them do about it, once his wish was granted?" Kakkarot said.

"If half the things I've heard about Coola are true, he'd probably show Frieza that there are some things you wouldn't want to live through," Vegeta answered with a mirthless chuckle.

"So, how long will it take us to reach Earth?" Chi-Chi asked lightly, wanting to change the subject to something less unsettling.

"Roughly a month," Bulma answered. "We should work out our sleeping arrangements. And does the shower still work?" she added as she wiped some grease off her cheek.

"There are two rooms with bunks in them, and the captain's quarters," Kele said. "And yes, the shower works fine."

"Okay, that should work out -" Kakkarot started, but Kele cut him off.

"The prince will take the captain's quarters, of course; you and I will take one of the bunk rooms, and the women can take the other," the old man said calmly, his eyes daring them to disagree.

"That will work for now," Vegeta said, sending a quick "don't argue with the old fool" look to his comrades. "We can change it later if we wish."

"This is going to be a _long_ trip," Kakkarot said with an annoyed sigh.

As the days passed, Kakkarot found his prediction to be unfortunately true. They filled their time with training, though he and Vegeta had to hold back a great deal to keep from damaging the ship, and by studying the relics in the cargo hold. Kele was happy to help with both pursuits, and could be very helpful. But he also seemed bound and determined to give Vegeta and Kakkarot as little alone time with Bulma and Chi-Chi as he could.

It became increasingly obvious that while he liked the Earth women as individuals, he was staunchly against them being with the Saiyan men, especially Bulma and Vegeta. Neither Vegeta nor Bulma was surprised by his attitude, and did little to dissuade him; instead, they just got more inventive in how they found privacy. Kakkarot and Chi-Chi laughed the old man off a few times, which clearly annoyed him, but in his estimation, a third-class warrior was not the same as the crown prince, so he didn't try to discourage their relationship as much. The only time he was sanguine about all of them being together was when they were looking at the relics, though few held their attention as much as the statues and scrolls had. In fact, only one other artifact got the prince's attention like those did: a small, ancient, jewel-encrusted box that Kele showed them during the second week of their journey.

"This was found in the remains of a place of worship," Kele told them.

"Is there something in it?" Kakkarot asked as he examined the intricate patterns carved into the old wood.

"Of course there is. Here, Your Highness, have a look," Kele said, handing the box to Vegeta.

Vegeta glanced at the old Saiyan questioningly, but took the box. It swung open stiffly on its time-worn hinges, letting out a tired _creak _as it did so. Inside was a soft cushion, slightly dry-rotted, and sitting on the cushion was a tarnished, dented, ball-shaped object.

"A Kukatoh bell?" Vegeta said in puzzlement as he picked up the ancient instrument with delicate fingers.

"The oldest ever found – so far as I know," Kele nodded eagerly. "Who knows, it could be the _original_ bell!"

"Wait a moment - that statue of Biitoru and Siidara where she was pregnant – Biitoru had a bell like this on his belt," Bulma said. She wasn't sure why an old bell would be important, but it obviously was from the way Kele, Vegeta, and Kakkarot were all looking at it.

"There is an old legend that Siidara gave the first Kukatoh bell to Biitoru as a token of her affection and for luck. Nearly all of his statues and images have him wearing the bell somewhere," Kele said. "It became a sacred symbol to our people, even after Siidara was forgotten."

"I haven't seen one of these in so long, I barely remember them," Kakkarot said as he reached out and very gently tapped the side of the bell. To the surprise of everyone but Kele, the bell let out a bright, clear sound, despite its disrepair.

"Wow, who'd have thought it could still sound so good?" Chi-Chi said, and tapped it herself, making it chime again. "What must it have sounded like when it was new?"

"All right, that's enough, put it back," Kele said gently, though there was a strain in his words. "It's thousands of years old."

"Now, when you say that this could be the original bell, do you mean Biitoru's bell?" Bulma asked, arching a blue eyebrow as Vegeta gently returned the instrument to its box.

"If he was real, maybe. Or maybe it was the first Kukatoh bell made for ceremonial purposes," Kele answered quickly. "I'm still studying it all."

"Even after ten years?" Kakkarot inquired.

Kele chuckled. "This isn't a science you can rush, young man," he said. "And you've seen how full this cargo hold is."

"That I'll grant you," Kakkarot smiled in return as he looked at the dozens of crates around them.

The rest of the journey passed painfully slowly, with no way to contact the Munotes, Kakkarot's family, or the king's Moon Flare. They kept vigilant for any ships loyal to Frieza, but though they passed some warships, they went unnoticed; the freight hauler did its job in spades. When they were finally only a few hours away from Earth, Bulma contacted her parents to let them know she was coming.

"Bulma! Sweetie! We've been so worried!" Mrs. Briefs said over the communicator.

"Sorry, Mom, this ship has a very limited communications range!" Bulma said, guilt twisting in her stomach. With everything that had happened, she hadn't thought about how scared her and Chi-Chi's families must have been. "Chi-Chi and I are just fine, we weren't anywhere near that poor planet, you know that!"

"Yes, but then we didn't hear anything from you for ages!" Dr. Briefs said. "Ox-King is out of his head with worry for Chi-Chi!"

"We'll explain everything once we get there, I promise! I hope you have some of those lovely lemon chiffon cakes; you know they're my favorite, and I've really missed them!" Bulma said with an apologetic smile. The Briefs seemed to twitch ever so slightly at the mention of the cakes, and then Mrs. Briefs beamed into the screen.

"Of course, dear! I'll make sure to have some! We'll have someone pick you up at the spaceport and then we'll all have some nice tea!" she said.

"I look forward to hearing your stories," Dr. Briefs added with a knowing nod.

"Oh, I can't wait to share them with you," Bulma answered, and after sending them the ship's description and call number, the conversation ended.

"They haven't seen you in months, and they're sending someone else to get you?" Kakkarot asked as he walked up behind her.

Bulma smirked. "They're sending someone from the resistance to help get you guys away from the spaceport without being seen," she answered.

"How do they know we need that?" Vegeta frowned as he moved to her side.

"I told them in code," Bulma smiled. "Lemon chiffon cakes means I need to see the resistance. Calling them my favorite means we're smuggling something. And saying I missed them means it needs to be done right away."

"Damn clever," Vegeta grunted.

"It was inspired by my mother, actually; she loves cakes and pastries and can talk about them endlessly, and we tend to half-tune her out. One day, we realized that talking about favorite sweets, even over open communications, would be completely ignored by anyone listening in," Bulma explained.

"Very clever indeed," Kele nodded. "Listening through my scouter, I've heard plenty of chatter about sweets, especially among the Ginyu Force, and I turned a deaf ear to it. The last thing I needed was to hear about food I couldn't have," he added with a wry grin.

"The only question is: how high are the odds that Vegeta will be recognized? Shouldn't he wear some kind of disguise?" Chi-Chi asked.

_The broadcast reached Earth, we know that. Mom kept teasing me about my sexy rock star boyfriend before we left Mikusubodo. . ._Bulma mulled it over. _But that shouldn't be a problem just yet. . ._

"I don't think we need to worry about it yet, we won't be going inside the spaceport," she said out loud. "But it's something to consider."

Vegeta scowled, but said nothing. On the one hand, he had no desire to hide anymore. But on the other hand, he didn't want Earth to be destroyed like Mikusubodo was.

"Why do we need someone to meet us? You have a car in one of your capsules, don't you?" Vegeta asked coolly.

"The resistance is constantly moving, and I haven't had any contact with them for months – I have no idea where any of them are!" Bulma answered.

"She has a whole car in one of those capsules?" Kele gaped, clearly stunned.

"She has a whole _house_ in one of her capsules!" Kakkarot laughed. "They're incredible devices!"

"Just think of how many more relics we could've packed with such things – and so little chance of damaging any of them!" Kele marveled, quietly aching at the lost opportunities. Then he sighed and shook his gray head. "Be that as it may, we need to prepare for landing; these barges are trickier to land than a simple one-man pod."

"If you can call what the pods do 'landing,'" Kakkarot chuckled again as Kele began punching buttons in practiced order. "More like crashing."

"You're in a good mood," Chi-Chi said to him quietly.

"With any luck, we'll see the others again soon," Kakkarot said. "That makes me feel better."

"Me, too," Chi-Chi smiled at him and squeezed his hand. He smiled back tenderly and squeezed her hand gently in return.

The freight hauler landed in a distant corner of the spaceport's landing strip, with Kele telling the control tower he would be lifting off again as soon as he delivered some cargo. Moments after it had settled and the engines switched off, a large, dark blue air car with tinted windows came gliding swiftly toward it, and parked ten feet away from the old ship in easy view of its side door and cargo bay doors. After several minutes passed and no one else got close to the freight hauler, the car's doors swung open, and two men stepped out.

The two men were rather mismatched; one over six feet tall, broad through the shoulders, with long, mussed hair that fell between his shoulders, and a lean, handsome face only slightly marred by thin scars on his left cheek and across his right eye; the other barely five feet tall, narrow and wiry, with a shaved head that showed six dots on his forehead and no nose. The tall man wore a t-shirt and jeans, and the shorter man was wearing a button-up shirt and slacks. Both wore shades that hid their eyes, so that no one could tell they were constantly scanning the area around them.

The side door on the ship opened and the two Earth women and three Saiyan men disembarked. Bulma and Chi-Chi moved swiftly over to the car, quickly and quietly greeting the men who waited for them.

"Yamcha, Krillin, good to see you!" Bulma said.

"Sorry we were gone for so long; is my dad okay?" Chi-Chi asked quickly.

"Ox-King is fine, other than being worried about you," Krillin, the short, bald man, said. "And actually, your absence worked in our favor; it looks like they no longer suspect CC of helping us."

"So what did you need us to collect?" Yamcha asked, trying but not quite succeeding to act aloof.

"Them," Bulma answered, motioning to Vegeta and Kakkarot. The two human men looked at the Saiyans straight on for the first time, and gaped for a moment.

"Aren't you the Saiyan prince?" Yamcha asked before he could stop himself.

Vegeta was momentarily startled by the human man's ability to recognize him, but it never showed on his face. "Yes, how did you know that?"

"It's been all over the airwaves ever since the last Munote concert," Yamcha said. "Several people recognized you and told the entire universe! Why are you here?"

"We're rendezvousing with some people before planning our next move," Vegeta said coolly. "That's all you need to know."

"Vegeta, Kakkarot, this is Yamcha and Krillin," Bulma said. "Two of Earth's best fighters. That's Kele; he won't be staying," she continued her introductions swiftly. There were a few murmurs of greeting, and Krillin held out his hand to Kakkarot to shake. Kakkarot clasped it firmly, liking the smaller man's friendly smile.

"Did CC tell you anything about any other ships arriving recently, carrying Saiyans or Mikusubodo-jins?" Chi-Chi asked quickly, then drooped as Krillin and Yamcha shook their heads 'no.'

"We haven't heard anything about any Saiyans or Mikusubodo-jins," Krillin said, taking note of the displeased look that Vegeta and Kakkarot shared.

"Come on, we shouldn't be talking in such an open place," Yamcha said, motioning to the car. "We can talk at the base."

"Right," Vegeta grunted as he and Kakkarot climbed into the vehicle while Yamcha and Krillin did the same.

Before Bulma and Chi-Chi could join the men, Kele reached out and gently grabbed Bulma's shoulder.

"May I have a word with you both?" Kele said quietly to Bulma and Chi-Chi. The two women turned to him and eyed him coolly. They had a strong hunch they knew what was coming. "About your relationships with the prince and Kakkarot. . ."

"We know what you're going to say," Bulma answered coldly. "You made your views quite clear during our journey."

"And frankly, whether you think we're 'worthy' or not doesn't matter. It's not up to you," Chi-Chi said with an edge of steel in her voice.

"Don't misunderstand me," Kele said quickly. "You are fine young women; smart, strong, capable, and I do respect you - but Saiyan numbers are few enough as it is. It would be best, for the prince especially, for them to breed with Saiyan women."

"We haven't even _discussed_ 'breeding' yet," Chi-Chi said, turning bright red. "And either way, it's their choice, isn't it?"

"Then you and Kakkarot are just careless?" Kele asked, giving her a critical look.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Chi-Chi blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"I could be mistaken," Kele shrugged, going back to his ship, "although my nose has never failed me before. I recommend you see a doctor soon, Miss Chi-Chi."

"Wh-wh-what?" Chi-Chi stuttered out as the implication sank in. She and Bulma exchanged looks for a moment, and then she glanced at her own belly. "We. . .we'll worry about this later," she finally managed to say as Yamcha leaned out of the car window.

"What's the hold-up?" he asked.

"Nothing – nothing! Let's go!" Chi-Chi said quickly, and she and Bulma got into the car.

"The others are waiting in our current base; we can fill you guys in on what's been happening," Yamcha said to Bulma as he turned on the ignition. The air car rumbled to life and lifted off the ground.

"Okay; we can make some plans while we're at it," Bulma nodded. Turning to Vegeta and Kakkarot, she said, "I'll contact my parents once we have a secure line and ask them to double-check the recent arrivals for the Munotes and Kakkarot's family; after all, it's not like I could tell them to keep an eye out for them. We just assumed your families would go to CC since they know that it's my family's company."

"Right," Kakkarot said, and Vegeta nodded calmly. There was still hope, however thin it might have been.

Behind them, Kele's freighter lifted off and vanished back into space. Vegeta glanced over his shoulder at departing ship, and quietly hoped it would reach the colonies safely; all of that precious Saiyan history shouldn't be lost. Then he focused his mind squarely on the present. There was still a lot of work to do.

To Be Continued. . .

I hope you guys didn't find all of those history lessons too boring! I promise, there will be more action in future chapters!

Biitoru = a play on beet and beat, as in 'beat up.'

Siidara = a play on seed.

Siidaringu = a play on seedling.


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry for the delay; I've been busy! I now have my own webshow/vlog (along with my equally nerdy mother), "Stone Soup: the World According to SciFi Geeks" which can be found at and .com/user/planettyracom!

The Ways of the Saiyans

by

NansJns

Chapter 11: Finding More Time

The air car had left the city behind an hour ago, heading east. Various other cars traveled around them, coming and going as their needs demanded. At the end of the hour, Yamcha and Krillin were satisfied they weren't being followed, and left the general traffic pattern for higher skies. Once clear of the other air cars, Yamcha hit the gas and sent them shooting across the blue sky.

"So where is the resistance's current base?" Bulma asked.

"We got lucky this time – Kami is letting us use his lookout; Frieza's goons can't seem to find it," Yamcha told her with a smile.

"Kami's Lookout? That is good news!" Bulma said.

"When you say 'Kami' . . ." Kakkarot started, his eyebrows quirking up; Vegeta was more focused on how familiar and friendly Yamcha was acting with Bulma.

"Earth's guardian, not that he does much," Krillin answered Kakkarot. "He has all kinds of wisdom and various mystic items that help, but he, himself, is apparently too old to fight."

"Roshi and Gohan must be giving him grief for that," Chi-Chi chuckled.

"Endlessly," Krillin grinned.

"Roshi and Gohan?" Kakkarot pressed gently, not liking being left out of the conversation.

"Our oldest fighters," Yamcha explained. "They're old men, but they still pack a hell of a punch. You'll meet them when we get there."

"I just hope Roshi has learned to keep his hands to himself while we've been gone," Bulma huffed with a slight grimace.

"I doubt that will happen in his lifetime," Yamcha said with a roll of his eyes.

"Are you saying one of your fighters – one of your _oldest_ fighters – is a pervert?" Vegeta suddenly cut in.

"Completely," Krillin sighed lightly. "When I first went to train under him, he made me find him a cute girl to date to prove I was worthy."

"Seriously?" Kakkarot said, not sure whether to be offended or amused.

"Yeah. But he was a great teacher; and his KameHameHa technique is incredible," Krillin said.

"KameHameHa? What kind of technique is that?" Kakkarot asked, his interest piqued.

"It's a ki strike; maybe he'll show you if you ask," Yamcha said as he directed the car even higher. "We'll be there soon."

"How many fighters do you actually have?" Vegeta asked.

"Counting me and Krillin? Fourteen," Yamcha answered. "That's just our direct fighters, though; we have people helping us all over the world."

"Fourteen? That's all?" Vegeta frowned. "Not much of a resistance."

"Not a lot of people were willing to try and fight Frieza's men," Krillin answered with a frown of his own. "But we've done our fair share of damage."

"To what end? You can't drive Frieza's men from this world," Vegeta said sharply, and the two human men flinched.

"We can't just let them do as they please with our world and people, either," Yamcha said.

"But if you cause too much trouble, Frieza will send in purge teams, or worse – he'll destroy this planet outright, like he did Mikusubodo," Vegeta scowled at them, challenging them to deny this simple truth.

For a few moments, they were all quiet.

"He might," Krillin finally conceded. "But we don't know what else we can do; we can't just sit around and watch them destroy our homes and kill our people!"

"Maybe we don't have the right to choose for the entire world, but we'd rather die on our feet than live on our knees," Yamcha said.

Vegeta's expression smoothed out at their words, and he gave a nod. "Good," he said calmly. "To fight Frieza and have any chance of winning, you need that kind of resolve."

"Gosh, so glad we meet your approval!" Yamcha muttered sarcastically, shooting Vegeta an annoyed sideways glance.

Kakkarot chuckled in response, though he understood Vegeta's meaning better than the two human men did. Standing against Frieza most often came at a terrible price; if you weren't willing to pay it, you shouldn't try to fight him at all.

"Now then, Yamcha," Vegeta continued, an icy edge building over his words, "Would you mind telling me why you're so familiar with Bulma?"

"Huh?" Yamcha gasped, caught completely off-guard by the question.

"We dated for a while when we were teenagers," Bulma answered for the scarred man, waving the old relationship off like a wisp of smoke.

"It, uh, it didn't work out between us, but we're still friends," Yamcha added with a small shrug.

"You never struck me as the jealous sort before," Bulma remarked teasingly, making the Saiyan prince snort.

"I'm not," he said coolly. "I just wanted to know what had happened between you two. It was obvious he knew you well, and not just as a fellow fighter."

"Uh-huh," Bulma answered with a light grin. Then the grin faltered slightly as a thought occurred to her. "I admit, I've had relationships before, but never anything serious, like you."

Vegeta seemed to struggle with his reply for a few moments before he sighed and said so quietly she could barely hear him, "I haven't."

Kakkarot, Yamcha, and Krillin strove to pay attention to the world outside the car to give Vegeta and Bulma a tiny bit of privacy, though they hadn't heard what he'd said anyway.

"We'll talk later, when we're alone," Bulma whispered to him soothingly. Vegeta gave a short nod in agreement.

"There's Korin's Tower," Yamcha said suddenly, and Bulma and Vegeta turned their attention to what lay before them. An immense stone tower, nearly five feet in diameter, rose from the ground and vanished into the highest clouds. It was covered in carvings that could act as hand and foot holds, and had a slightly weathered look to it.

"What in the world. . .?" Kakkarot said in surprise as the air car angled more steeply upward.

"It ends just under the Lookout," Krillin explained cheerfully. "You're supposed to prove you're worthy of Kami's wisdom and teachings by climbing it all the way up, and getting Korin's approval. Korin is the keeper of the tower."

"You've both climbed that thing?" Kakkarot asked.

"Yes. Thankfully, you only have to do it once; and since we're using the Lookout as a hideout, Kami isn't being strict about newcomers following that rule," Krillin said.

"Feh. Kakkarot and I could climb that tower easily," Vegeta said with a small scowl.

"I don't doubt that for a second, but let's not waste valuable time, okay?" Yamcha said with a smile. Vegeta seemed to consider Yamcha's words for a moment, and then gave a small chuckle.

"Wasn't going to," he said.

They ascended through a thick cloud bank for several minutes, until the top of the tower finally came into view. Perched atop the stone tower was a small, circular building, with a line of windows all around its center. From one window, what appeared to be an unusually large, white cat, standing on his hind legs and holding a wooden walking stick, was waving at their car. Krillin waved back.

"Hi, Korin!" the bald man called to the cat.

Vegeta and Kakkarot puzzled over this for a second, and then dropped it as they saw Kami's Lookout for the first time.

The massive stone structure floated in the middle of the air against all laws of gravity and physics. It was a half-globe, decorated on the outside with stripes of white marble, green jade, and red ruby set in repeating patterns all across its surface. A single ladder scaled up one side, clearly for first time visitors to use to reach the top. The top was a flat, marbled circle, with carefully kept gardens lining the paths and a white-marble and gold palace in its center. The air car landed in the largest open area, and the six passengers disembarked.

The air, Vegeta noted, was oddly sweet and warm, with just a gentle cool breeze to stir the flowers and trees. While this looked like a place of riches and opulence, it didn't feel like such a place; it just felt peaceful and welcoming. He glanced at Kakkarot, and could see the simple-minded third-class was enjoying himself as he looked around.

"How have Frieza's people missed this place? It's not exactly subtle," Vegeta said as Yamcha and Krillin led the way to the palace.

"Kami has some kind of cloak over it; unless you know to look for it, you can't find it. He won't say how it works," Krillin explained cheerfully. He'd had the same question when the resistance first came to hide here.

They were three steps away from the doors to the palace when said doors were suddenly flung open from the inside, and a man nearly ten feet tall came barreling out. He had black hair, a thick black beard, dark eyes, and wore glasses, a white shirt, dark pants with suspenders, and a hat with ox horns on it. He looked at the group in front of him for a moment before bursting into tears and throwing himself at Chi-Chi's small form.

"Chi-Chi! You're all right! You're finally home! I've been so worried!" he cried, and before Kakkarot could do anything, Chi-Chi and the giant had caught each other in a massive hug.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy! I didn't mean to scare you! I wound up on a ship that had no long-range communications! It's a long story," Chi-Chi said.

"'Daddy'. . .?" Kakkarot said, frozen in shock. This huge man was Chi-Chi's father?

"Good luck, Kakkarot," Vegeta muttered by his ear, enjoying his friend's moment of stunned panic.

The huge man looked back over his shoulder toward the palace. "I told you I heard an air car," he said. "They're here!"

"Yes, so we gathered," said a cool voice behind him, and an old man with long white hair, a bushy white mustache, tanned skin and ice blue eyes stepped around the giant. He wore a strange outfit of puffy black pants, a yellow shirt with puffy shoulders, a black vest, and a tall hat with "RR" emblazoned on it. Small, gold, hoop earrings glinted in his ears. "Ox-King, would you mind moving aside so the rest of us can get out?" he asked.

"Oh, right, sorry, Dr. Gero," Ox-King said with an embarrassed chuckle as he let go of his daughter, and he moved to the right as the rest of the resistance stepped outside.

It was an interesting array of people, to say the least. There were two other old men, one bald with a beard and mustache, wearing shades, a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, the other dressed in Chinese clothes with a cap and a mustache. There was a young, tall, bald man with three eyes wearing green gi pants and a red belt with no shirt, and a tiny, doll-like boy creature with snow-white skin, red cheeks, and big eyes, wearing green gi pants like the three-eyed man's and a white tank top. There was a young man with black hair and ice blue eyes like Gero wearing blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and a red bandana around his neck, and a beautiful blonde girl who also had icy blue eyes, wearing a long-sleeved striped blouse, a blue-jean mini-skirt and vest, and boots; both of them wore gold hoop earrings just like Gero's. Then there was a short, seemingly plump, grumpy looking man with long, messy black hair and a sword, wearing a woven, pale yellow kimono and sandals. And last, but certainly not least, were two green-skinned aliens, one old, one young, with large, pointed ears, antennae, fangs, and strange patches – yellow on the old one, pink on the younger – on their arms. The old one wore a long, white tunic with a kanji emblazoned in its middle, and carried a tall wooden walking stick. The younger one wore a dark purple shirt and dark purple pants, with a large white mantle and cape, and a white and purple turban on his head.

"Who are these guys?" the short, grumpy man asked.

"They're what we were smuggling," Yamcha answered.

"I am Vegeta, Prince of All Saiyans," Vegeta suddenly said, his head high and his shoulders squared.

"I'm Kakkarot. Nice to meet you!" Kakkarot said with a wide, friendly smile and a wave.

Their names received a murmur of surprise and puzzlement, and the old alien stepped forward.

"I am Kami. This is my Lookout. I bid you welcome, Prince Vegeta and Kakkarot," he said.

"Thank you," Vegeta said, and Kakkarot nodded.

"I'm Piccolo," the younger green alien said.

"Tenshinhan," said the tall, three-eyed man.

"I'm Chiao-Tzu. Pleased to meet you!" said the tiny, doll-like boy.

"I'm Yajirobe," grunted the grumpy-looking man.

"I am Son Gohan," said the old man in Chinese clothes.

"Muten Roshi's my name. Nice to meet you boys," said the old man in the shades.

"Just call me Junanagou," said the young, blue-eyed man.

"And I'm his sister, Juuhachigou," the blonde girl said.

"You may call me Dr. Gero," the old man with the gold earrings said.

"And I'm Chi-Chi's father, Ox-King," the giant said with a friendly smile. "So, you're the Kakkarot that my Chi-Chi keeps talking about?"

Kakkarot cleared his throat a little. "Yes. Honored to meet you, sir," he said, and offered his hand. Ox-King took it in a firm shake.

"It's nice to finally meet you," Ox-King said, his smile friendly, but his eyes scrutinizing.

"Now that all of the introductions are out of the way. . .mind if I ask why you're here and not on your way to Aisu-sei Prime?" Piccolo suddenly cut in, and the two Saiyans looked at him in confusion.

"Say what?" Kakkarot said.

"Why would you expect me to be heading there right now?" Vegeta asked with a quirked eyebrow. "Trust me, I'm looking forward to the day I can destroy the Kold Empire at its source, but that day isn't here yet."

The Earth warriors, except for Yamcha and Krillin, all stared at him in shock for a moment, which both aggravated the hell out of Vegeta and unnerved him slightly. Kakkarot felt a few drops of nervous sweat slide down his cheek.

"Holy shit, you haven't seen it, have you?" Juunanagou finally said.

"Seen what?" Vegeta demanded.

"We only saw it for the first time an hour ago; Frieza doesn't usually consider Earth worth sending messages to. The ship you were on didn't have long-range communications, did it?" Kami cut in, and Vegeta began to growl.

"No, it didn't – now tell me what the hell you're talking about!" the Saiyan Prince barked, and the Earth warriors flinched.

"What _are _you guys talking about?" Krillin asked, more gently than Vegeta.

"We picked up an interstellar transmission shortly after you guys left for the space port," Tenshinhan explained.

"It was from Frieza himself, and it was being sent to every communication device that was on the right frequency," Piccolo continued. "It was for you, 'Your Highness.' A direct challenge."

"He said that if you ever wanted to see your family, 'blood or adopted' again, you should come to Aisu-sei Prime and face him," Kami said, an apology in his eyes.

Vegeta froze to the spot. Frieza had captured the other escape pods. . .even the _Moon Flare_? His stomach clenched, first in horror and then in rage. He barely noticed Kakkarot's reaction at his side; Kakkarot's face had gone pale and his back grew rigid. What of his family? If Frieza had captured their pod, he had absolutely no reason to keep them alive.

"Oh no, Kakkarot-!" Chi-Chi whispered to him, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly.

"How long do I have?" Vegeta asked lowly.

"He has a countdown going. Apparently, the message has been relayed through the known galaxy for a week ‒ there's only fourteen days left," Ox-King answered sadly.

"O-on our fastest ship, you'd make it with about a day and a half to spare," Bulma said, her voice shaking and breathless with panic.

"So much for more time for training," Kakkarot said. "We'll have to be ready now. Where can we get one of those ships? And this time, you two are staying here!" he added at the end, looking directly at Chi-Chi and Bulma.

"Damn it all! I know I'm close to achieving a new level of power! If we just had more time-!" Vegeta snarled to himself, frustrated beyond words at the situation.

Kami and Piccolo exchanged a glance, then a nod. Kami cleared his throat politely. "There is a way to get more time," the elderly Namek-jin said. "An entire year, in fact."

"What?" Vegeta turned to him with a look of confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Kakkarot asked.

"There is a room here where the flow of time is altered. You can spend an entire year in there while only one day passes out here," Kami explained calmly.

"What?" Vegeta and Kakkarot both cried in surprise.

"The Room of Spirit and Time?" Krillin suddenly cut in. "You wouldn't let us near it before!"

"Because it wasn't ready," Piccolo answered. "Time isn't the only unstable thing in there. We've been working for some time to create a stable place in there where someone could rest and be safe while training for the year. We finally succeeded."

"Count me in, then!" Krillin said quickly, and the other warriors began to chatter excitedly.

Kakkarot looked thoughtful for a moment then turned to Roshi. "Master Roshi, I'd like to learn more about your KameHameHa technique, since we'll have time. If you want to test my worthiness. . ."

"Oh, no worries on that! You brought Bulma and Chi-Chi back to us safe and sound; that's more than enough to earn my training!" Roshi said with a hearty laugh as his hand began to subtly drift toward Chi-Chi's unguarded backside. Before the old fingers could connect, Kakkarot grabbed Roshi's wrist in a lightning quick movement.

"Move that hand one inch closer to her bottom and I will break it," Kakkarot snarled at the old man. He knew he had probably just lost the training, but protecting Chi-Chi was more important.

Roshi looked at him in surprise and then laughed again. "You got fire, son! I like you!" he said.

"Before you all get too excited, there's one more thing – the stable area we created can only hold so many," Kami suddenly cut in, and the chatter died away.

"How many?" Vegeta asked.

"Two would be best, but five could fit – barely," Kami answered.

"Okay, so, Vegeta, me, Roshi, Krillin, and -?" Kakkarot began counting off thoughtfully, his eyes scanning over the crowd.

"I'd like to go as well," the elderly Gohan said before anyone else could speak. "I know a few tricks you might find useful," he added with a smile.

"All right, that's our five," Kakkarot nodded.

"You'd rather have us old codgers than your lovely young ladies? I'm beginning to wonder about you, son," Roshi observed with a wry grin.

"If you do this, you'll barely make it to Aisu-sei Prime in time," Bulma pointed out, clenching her hands into fists to keep them from shaking.

"I know, but it's the only choice if we want to have a chance at succeeding," Vegeta answered, placing his hand over one of her fists. "No member of my family will die. And Kakkarot was correct – you're staying here when we leave."

"But-!" Bulma objected.

"We could help-!" Chi-Chi started.

"You'll be a distraction!" Vegeta snapped.

"Besides, Chi-Chi, you need to stay safe, and not just for you," Kakkarot said gently. Chi-Chi faltered, thinking of Kele's last words to her.

"You-you think I'm-?" she said quietly.

"I. . .I know you are. I can smell it," Kakkarot answered, blushing slightly.

"What?" Ox-King suddenly cut in.

"I. . .I may be pregnant, Daddy," Chi-Chi said.

"What?" Ox-King yelped then glared at Kakkarot accusingly.

"If it makes you feel any better, I do want to marry you," Kakkarot offered gently. By Saiyan terms, they were already mates, but Chi-Chi had told him enough about Earth customs for him to know what was expected of him. Chi-Chi blushed, smiled, and nodded at him.

"Okay, well, while you get that settled, I'll just get some senzu beans from Korin before we go in," Krillin said as he ran for the edge of the Lookout.

"Get some what?" Vegeta asked blankly as Krillin jumped over the floating building's side and flew downward. "Did he just say he was going to get some beans?"

"Those aren't ordinary beans," Roshi chuckled.

"They're one of Earth's best-kept secrets," Gohan said with a grin. "They're magic – they'll heal any injury, and restore your strength."

"What?" Vegeta and Kakkarot gaped in disbelief again. Vegeta pulled himself back together first.

"What nonsense is this? How could you have possibly kept such a secret from Frieza's soldiers?" Vegeta asked skeptically.

"They never asked, and we never eat any in front of them. Just you wait and see; they're great. Better than any healing tanks," Roshi said with a laugh.

Vegeta grunted in disbelief then turned back to Bulma. "Listen, while we're in there, you see about getting us the fastest ship you can, and make sure it has good long-range communicators. I want to send a reply to Frieza when we leave."

"All right," Bulma said sullenly. She still didn't want to be left behind, though she could see why Vegeta wanted her to. Even so, her mind was running through scenarios for stowing away or following him in a separate ship.

"We'll need supplies," Kakkarot said as he started making lists in his head of all the food they'd need.

"It's been stocked with food," said Kami calmly.

"Enough food to feed two Saiyans for a year? I doubt that," Kakkarot said with a grin and a shake of his head.

"How much can you possibly eat?" Yamcha asked.

"Enough to wipe out whatever supplies are in there in a couple of days, at most," Vegeta answered.

"_Days_?" Kami echoed, his eyes wide.

"They're not exaggerating," Chi-Chi put in. "We've seen them put away twice as much as all of you eat put together in one sitting. Which may be why my own appetite has been growing lately. . ." she added thoughtfully as she ran her hand over her still-flat stomach.

"So, they'll need more supplies," Bulma said with a slight chuckle.

"We'll see what we can do. . ." Kami said slowly, obviously still surprised.

"I think I can help with that," Bulma said. "Anyone have a cell phone I can borrow?"

The preparations were made as quickly as possible, and within ninety minutes the five men were ready to enter the Room of Spirit and Time.

"I've almost got the ship all arranged; it'll be waiting for you when you get out," Bulma told Vegeta as they approached the door to the chamber.

"Thank you," he said absentmindedly, his mind already focused on the training he was about to do.

"See you soon," Chi-Chi said quietly to Kakkarot. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Kakkarot said tenderly as Vegeta pushed the door open. "Bye, Chi-Chi."

"Just remember, you _can_ get lost in there; be very careful," Kami said as the five men walked through the door.

"Lost? How do you get lost in a roo- _whoa_!" Krillin's voice was cut off by the door swinging shut.

It was not a room in the traditional sense – there were no visible walls or ceiling, just a vast void that appeared to be empty, and stretched toward infinity. Around the door was the living area, with beds, a large bath tub, toilets, and a kitchen. The air was hot and heavy, and the gravity seemed higher than it had been outside.

"Man, no wonder they didn't let us in here until they'd made a safe place," Krillin said as he gaped around at the emptiness. "This could drive someone insane!"

"Which is also why it's good to have company in here, I should think," Son Gohan observed. "Being alone in such a place would be even more maddening."

"This is gonna be a fun year, I can tell," Roshi muttered to himself, thinking longingly of his girlie magazine collection that he'd been forced to leave outside.

"All right then; let's get started," Vegeta said coldly, and marched into the oblivion in front of him.

Bardock didn't know exactly why they were still alive, but he had some guesses – most of them having to do with Frieza wanting to slowly torture them to death for helping to hide the prince (and possibly for killing Dodoria, but it was hard to say if Frieza actually cared about that). Bardock, Okarana, and Raditz had already received several brutal beatings since their capture, and King Vegeta and Queen Lesessu had doubtless received far worse. He shuddered to think what was being done to the Munotes, who didn't have a Saiyan's strength and resilience. He knew Frieza had already killed most of the crew of the _Moon Flare_. Luckily, they had somehow managed to completely wipe the ship's computers before any of Frieza's men could get on board, so the ship couldn't be tracked back to its source, which only served to enrage the tiny tyrant even more. The appearance of the ship had told the Aisu-jin prince that there must be a large group of surviving Saiyans out there, and he wanted to wipe out every last one of them for making him look like such a fool; first by hiding their prince, and secondly, by having so many survivors. He had started with the ship's crew, in front of King Vegeta, Queen Lesessu, and Bardock's family, and his fury had been a horrendous thing to witness.

All that was several weeks ago. They had been prisoners on Frieza's ship since then, staying in locked cells with energy-field doors between rounds of pain; but now, judging by the increased shuddering coming up from the deck, they were landing. Bardock wondered idly where they were; not that it really mattered anymore. He was more concerned about the whereabouts of his youngest son, his prince, and their women. Frieza had been unable to locate the final pod, which was very odd. . .where could it have gone? It had no more power than any of the others, so it shouldn't have gone much further than their own did. It was as though it had just vanished into nothingness – which gave them quiet hope that those four, at least, were safe.

The rumbling stopped with a final _thud_ and a groan of stressed metal. After a few minutes, they heard marching steps coming up the hallway, and somewhat to the Saiyan family's surprise, a platoon of twenty guards, half of whom were Aisu-jins, came into the cell block. Within moments, they began removing the prisoners from their cells.

"I've never seen so many Aisu-jins," Raditz observed quietly as he watched the guards escort the King and Queen out of their cell.

"Nor have I. In fact, I've never seen any Aisu-jins other than Frieza, Coola, and King Kold," Okarana said thoughtfully. "I half-thought they'd killed the rest of their race."

"How strong do you think they are?" Bardock whispered. "They can't all have the kind of monstrous strength the Kold royal clan does."

"Hard to say; and I'm not sure taking on nearly a dozen of them at once in our condition is wise," Okarana answered. The three of them had only been given one stay in a healing tank, despite the numerous times they'd been beaten, and they all boasted barely half-healed wounds. Okarana suddenly hissed. "They're coming!"

She stepped back from the shield as a group of six guards came up to it, and with a few punches into the key pad on the wall next to the cell, dropped the barrier.

"Come on, you damn monkeys, out of there!" barked a tall, thin Aisu-jin with blue-purple skin. The three Saiyans glared at him with loathing, but stood and walked out. They were pushed into a group with the other prisoners, and then marched through the ship until they reached the outer hatch, where the ramp was lowered.

"Where are we?" Durama asked quietly with badly swollen lips. His entire face was badly bruised, swollen, and caked with dried blood. The entire Munote family boasted such wounds; Sasu was being supported by his sisters, his right leg at an unnatural angle. Harpena's breathing was labored and wheezing and her eyes were swollen slits. Fululy and Tammibo limped when they walked and had bloodstains on their clothes.

"Aisu-sei Prime," said a guard who looked like he'd be more comfortable underwater. "The last world any of you filth will ever see."

"Aisu-sei Prime? Frieza's home world?" Sasu gasped thinly as he took in the strangely pale sky and the sprawling space port in front of them.

"The very same; you should be honored," Frieza observed from the head of the crowd, his voice full of blades. They hadn't noticed him there before; he'd been hidden by the crowd.

As they were marched down the ramp onto the paved ground, Bardock's eyes darted around briefly to take in the terrain. They couldn't try to escape just yet, not with Frieza standing less than twenty feet away, but some idea of what was out here would be helpful when they did try. When his eyes swept to the far right, however, all thought of escape was momentarily driven from his mind. Half a mile away stood the voanium tower that had been haunting his visions for so long; its purpose was still unclear, though. There were no other structures around it, and it seemed to be surrounded by some kind of garden.

"Hey," he called to the guard walking in front of him, another Aisu-jin with pale red skin. "Why the hell do you guys have a tower made of voanium? Voanium's not fit to build with."

"It's not _made _of voanium, you stupid monkey," the guard grunted. "It's just decorated with the stuff. It's a monument to Queen Chill, King Kold's late wife. She loved voanium jewelry and decorations."

"_That's_ why you wanted voanium? To make jewelry for your queen?" Okarana asked in surprise. While races across the galaxy had done far crazier things for their royalty, how much jewelry did one female need?

"Of course not! She'd just take the pieces she liked best. The rest was forged into other things and/or traded," the guard rolled his eyes at the foolish questions.

"Enough chit-chat, monkeys – this isn't a guided tour!" another guard barked from behind them, and they fell silent as they were marched toward an armored vehicle that was waiting a hundred feet away. Bardock resumed his examination of his surroundings as subtly as he could, though it looked like nearly every other space port he had ever seen. Once they were in the vehicle, they were chained to their seats, which made the injuries in Bardock's arms, chest and back flare with renewed pain. He could only hope that when an opportunity finally presented itself, they would be in good enough shape to take advantage of it. As things currently stood, any attempt at escape could only result in their deaths.

As the vehicle rolled down the road toward whatever prison they were being taken to, Bardock looked out the small window beside him and saw the voanium-covered tower fading into the distance. His guts gave an unpleasant squirm as his vision began to stir again. The battle with Frieza was coming, and soon; he only prayed his son and their prince were ready for it. He blinked for a moment as a twinge of pain hit him; the vision of battle flickered in front of his eyes just for a moment – but then it suddenly filled with a bright, golden light, and he couldn't see anything beyond it.

To Be Continued. . .


	12. Chapter 12

And I'm back once again! Hi, everyone! As always, I'm sorry this chapter took so long, but real life really sucks sometimes. However, I am determined to finish this fic before the end of the year! There should only be, at most, two chapters left. Wish me luck, everyone!

Thanks to my wonderful beta readers, Holly, and my brother, Scorpinac!

DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama, FUNimation, and I forget who all else, but none of them are me.

The Ways of the Saiyans

by

NansJns

Chapter 12: Armada

It was strange to think that they had been in the Room of Spirit and Time for over three months, but only a few hours had passed for everyone on the outside. Vegeta had to keep reminding himself that his family was still alive, that he hadn't missed the deadline. Even so, he couldn't shake the fear that gnawed at him and he was often tense and angry. At the moment, he was in a far corner of the void that filled the impossible room; not that "corner" was really the right word for it. He could neither see nor hear his companions, which was how he preferred it for the moment. He was in no mood to listen to their idle prattle, however well-meant. Kakkarot had made friends with them all easily, his upbeat attitude returning after their first week in the timeless space. Son Gohan had taken a particular shine to the younger Saiyan, treating him like he was his own grandson. Kakkarot remained confident that they could defeat Frieza and save everyone; Vegeta was more pragmatic. He'd been withdrawing from them more and more lately and he didn't care what they thought of it. He shifted into his next battle stance and made ready to go through the kata again.

"Have any of you seen Vegeta?" Kakkarot asked as he looked around for his prince near the habitation area.

"Not in a while," Roshi said. "He walked off into that nothingness some time ago and hasn't come back yet."

"I wish he wouldn't do that," Kakkarot sighed. "Kami warned us about getting lost in here." "No problem," Krillin shrugged before closing his eyes in brief concentration. "He's about 4 kilometers in that direction," the short man said and pointed into the void.

"How do you know that?" Kakkarot asked in amazement.

"I can sense his ki," Krillin answered casually.

"Oh, well, that – wait. . .you can sense ki?! Without a scouter?!" Kakkarot gaped at Krillin at the very idea.

Krillin chuckled; he always seemed quite pleased when he was able to surprise the powerful Saiyans. "Sure, we all can. We couldn't tell you someone's exact strength in numbers, but we can get a general idea of where they are located, _and_ can detect when they're on the move."

"Why-why didn't you say so sooner? Vegeta and I could use a technique like that!" Kakkarot said, still goggling a bit.

"I guess I just didn't think of it," Krillin admitted a little sheepishly. "We haven't needed to use it much in here."

"Come to think of it, that was a silly oversight on our parts, considering everything else we've taught you," Roshi observed. Kakkarot had mastered the KameHameHa technique within an hour, and the humans had shown him and Vegeta several other techniques the Earth fighters used. Kakkarot had taken to it like a fish, but Vegeta had chosen to focus more on creating his own signature moves.

"Now, now, let's be honest – rather like the senzu beans, we've kept that particular ability close to the vest for ages so Frieza's soldiers wouldn't know we could track them without scouters. Nearly all of our successes have been thanks to the element of surprise," Son Gohan said reasonably. "We're still not used to sharing these things."

"Yeah, good point," Krillin said as Roshi made a sound of agreement.

"I can understand that," Kakkarot nodded. "But can you teach us how to do it?" he asked eagerly.

"No problem; it's really not difficult," Krillin said.

"Great! I'll go find Vegeta and tell him. This is one technique he'll definitely want to learn!" Kakkarot said enthusiastically, and flew off into the nothingness to find the Saiyan prince. He wondered if Vegeta would be singing this time.

Kakkarot had heard him singing his adoptive family's favorite tunes to himself a few times when he must have thought he was alone – though only once did he hear his prince sing "Blue Lady". Kakkarot figured there was a little too much guilt attached to that song for Vegeta to sing it often, no matter how much he missed Bulma.

Kakkarot found his prince in only a few minutes, doing a vigorous kata in an area where the heat and gravity were dreadful. Vegeta didn't acknowledge the other Saiyan's arrival at all, he just continued with his exercises. Kakkarot watched him for a few minutes, taking in the ferocity of Vegeta's movements. Every muscle was taut with tension and barely contained anger, and the prince's eyes blazed as they looked into the distance. Kakkarot knew Vegeta was imagining battling Frieza; Kakkarot did the same during his own training sessions. It explained, perhaps, why the humans seemed nervous around them sometimes; the two of them must have looked quite intimidating. Finally, Kakkarot cleared his throat.

"Vegeta?" he called.

"What?" Vegeta snarled, still not looking at him.

"You're not supposed to wander off alone in here. Kami warned us. . ." Kakkarot started carefully.

"I can find my way, thank you! How did you even find me?" Vegeta snapped, never stopping his movements.

Kakkarot smirked. "Turns out the humans have another secret they've been keeping," he said. "They can sense ki – without a scouter!"

"What?!" Vegeta said as he jerked to a stop.

"I figured this was something you'd want to learn, too," Kakkarot said confidently.

Vegeta glared at him thoughtfully then grunted. "Let me finish here first."

Kakkarot hesitated. "Vegeta, I'm as angry and anxious as you are, but there are nearly nine months left. We can still have another breakthrough," Kakkarot assured his prince.

"It won't be enough! We need a Super Saiyan!" Vegeta growled in response. "I'm so close, I know it – but how do I take that final step? What's the key?"

"Kele said the first Super Saiyan was created by great grief and rage," Kakkarot said thoughtfully. "Strong emotions must be part of it."

"Trust me, Kakkarot, my feelings are overwhelming right now! So what else do I need?" Vegeta said sharply.

Kakkarot hesitated a moment as he thought about what Kele had told them about the first Super Saiyan. "A. . . a breaking point, I guess."

Vegeta snorted. "Well, I'm not going to find that breaking point wasting time playing around with the humans."

"We are NOT playing!" Kakkarot snarled. "I've learned all kinds of useful things from them! Their techniques are good; they personally just can't put much power behind them!"

"Humph, if you say so. Just out of curiosity, what is it that Gohan keeps calling you?" Vegeta asked coolly.

"Goku," Kakkarot answered with an impatient sigh. "He just thinks I look more like a 'Goku' than a 'Kakkarot'. The old man means no harm and I do kind of like the sound of it."

"He acts like we're children," Vegeta said.

"He's old. He sees us as children," Kakkarot shrugged.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," a male voice they didn't know suddenly cut through their bickering, and they spun around in shock. Standing a few feet away from them was an alien they'd never seen before. He was shorter than both of them, looked rather plump, had light blue skin, cat-fish like whiskers, and long, thin, black antennae that waved about on top of his head. He wore a black robe with a kanji on the front, slip-on shoes, and round sunglasses that hid his eyes. "Sorry to interrupt your witty repartee, but may I have a word with you two?" the being asked, a grin on his round, blue face.

It had taken far longer to get the ship than Bulma had thought it would, though she knew she shouldn't be surprised. There were a limited number of ships that could travel at the speed they needed, and the request was very last minute. It had taken most of the day, and now she had to rush even more to make sure there were enough supplies on board. Chi-Chi, meanwhile, had gone to the nearest city to find a drugstore to get a pregnancy test. Once she had it, she had used it at her first opportunity – and it had confirmed what Kele and Kakkarot had said. She had spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what to do next, while her father hovered around her and tried to get her to relax. She finally did when she realized she was so tired she could barely see straight, and was shown to a bed there in the Lookout. Bulma was likewise exhausted, having worked through most of the night. But there were still hours left before Vegeta and the others would come out of the Room of Spirit and Time. She then decided a quick nap was in her best interest as well; and with just a little help from Mr. Popo, found the bedrooms.

Bulma wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep when she awoke to the sound of alarmed shouting. Still slightly bleary-eyed and fuzzy-headed, she scrambled out of bed and down the hall, toward the sound of voices, bouncing off one wall as she went. The sudden pain helped clear her head, so she was able to focus more easily. She found the source of the commotion quickly, just outside of Kami's palace. The Z-Fighters and Chi-Chi were crowded around Kami, who was sweating nervously.

"I'm sorry, but there's no mistake – there's an entire fleet of ships coming this way, and the ones in the lead are definitely with Frieza," the old Nameki-jin was saying as Bulma joined the group.

"But why?! Frieza has no reason to believe Earth is connected to Vegeta! And even if he did, a _whole fleet_?! Overkill, much?!" Yamcha said nervously, clearly near panic.

"I know, it doesn't make sense, but I can feel their approach even so. We must act quickly or all of Earth will surely die," Kami said with a shake of his head.

"But what _can_ we do? We don't have any ships that have enough fire power to take down even _one_ of Frieza's War Cruisers, much less a whole fleet!" Tienshinhan objected.

"Maybe if they land we could do something, but if they don't, we're toast!" moaned Yajirobe. "And knowing our luck, they'll take us out from orbit."

"Okay, everyone, calm down!" Bulma cut in suddenly. "How long until the ships get here?"

"Less than two hours," Kami answered.

"And how long until Vegeta and the others get out of that room?" she continued.

"Less than thirty minutes," Piccolo answered.

"Okay, so, we still have a little time to think. We just need to come up with a plan. . ." Bulma said, trying to kick her thoughts into high gear. If ever there was a time when her genius was needed, it was now.

"Wait, you said the ones 'in the lead' are Frieza's ships? What does that mean?" Chi-Chi asked.

"What it sounds like; there are four ships well ahead of the others, and I can feel their foul kis from here. There can be no question that they're Frieza's soldiers," Kami said. "As to why they're ahead of the others – that I can't say."

"When Vegeta comes back, I'll need to talk to him right away. He and Kakkarot may be our only chance. . ." Bulma muttered, only half-listening to Chi-Chi and Kami. "Come on, genius, think!"

Kakkarot looked up from his meal and glanced at the door with a frown. "Anyone else feel that?" he asked.

"Feel what, son?" Son Gohan asked.

"I'm not sure. . .but the hairs on my neck are standing up," Kakkarot said.

"I feel it, too. Something is happening outside," Vegeta growled.

"There does seem to be more tension in the air," Krillin agreed.

"Good thing we're nearly done in here," Roshi observed, looking up at the massive hourglasses that stood to either side of the door. The contents within were trickling down to their last few grains. "I hope it's nothing too serious."

"We only have a few days left. We need to get back to training!" Vegeta said, and started eating more quickly. The others glanced at each other, nodded, and also began to eat faster. There was still time to get some work done.

Vegeta, Kakkarot, Krillin, Roshi, and Gohan emerged from the otherworldly "room" to find the entire Lookout in an uproar. It seemed like everyone was running around, shouting, trying to do something; but in all of the chaos, the recently returned fighters couldn't quite tell what was trying to be accomplished. It took only seconds for Vegeta to find Bulma in the heart of the maelstrom, looking at several small computers at once and giving orders.

"Bulma, what is going on?" Vegeta asked over the din, and for a moment everyone froze and stared at him.

"Vegeta! Thank goodness, you're finished!" Bulma cried in joy and threw herself at him. "Everything has gone wrong! Frieza knows about us! I don't know how, but there are ships-"

"Wait, what? Slow down!" Vegeta said in alarm, pushing her back from himself slightly to look in her eyes.

"Kami picked up the presence of several warships heading this way, and he's sure they're Frieza's," Bulma said quietly. "I don't know how he knows we're helping you, but this can't be a coincidence."

Vegeta swore loudly. "How could he know?!"

"We don't know!" Bulma shook her head.

"Is there a plan?" Kakkarot asked.

"Still working on it," Bulma answered, brushing her bangs out of her tired eyes. "Our best hope is if they land. Some of us have enough ki to take out things in orbit, but not enough of us."

"How many ships are there?" Kakkarot asked.

"An entire fleet; nearly three dozen in all," Chi-Chi said, looking pale. Kakkarot wrapped an arm around her and held her tightly for a moment.

"I missed you," he whispered into her ear. She squeezed back as tightly as she could.

"Three dozen – we couldn't take out that many before they destroyed us even if we tried!" Krillin said, ignoring the reunited couple.

"Maybe, maybe not – it depends on where they stop before they attack," Vegeta said.

"Their courses imply they're going to spread out around the world," Kami said, a distant look in his eyes as he stretched out his senses to try to feel out the ships' exact positions and movements.

"In other words, we're totally screwed," Yamcha said, his shoulders sagging.

"Do you have _any_ kind of plan?" asked Vegeta.

"I've been trying to work one out. Here's what I have so far. . ." Bulma drew Vegeta over to the computers to see what she'd been coming up with. Kakkarot followed, Chi-Chi at his side.

"So, what was it like in there?" Tienshinhan suddenly asked the others who had been in the Room of Spirit and Time.

"I don't know how to explain it," Krillin answered honestly. "Unreal, I guess."

"Everything was extremes; the temperature, the sound, the light, it. . ." Roshi started, then shook his head, unable to find more words.

"Go – I mean, Kakkarot, and Vegeta seemed to have an easier time of it," Gohan admitted. "Though there was a time we thought we'd lost them."

"There was?" Chiao-Tzu asked in wide-eyed alarm.

"Yes. . .Vegeta had disappeared into the void again, and Kakkarot went after him. They both vanished for days. When they came back, both their kis were substantially stronger and they had new techniques," Gohan said.

"So, they were just training?" Tienshinhan asked.

"Actually, they claimed that a being calling itself King Kai appeared and gave them some special training," Krillin said with an arched eyebrow. "Personally, I think the room was screwing around with their heads. . .but even so, both of them managed to get stronger."

Tienshinhan's three eyes widened in surprise. "That's. . .weird."

Kakkarot glanced over his shoulder at them, having heard much of their conversation. He didn't blame them for their disbelief. If he hadn't been there, he wouldn't have believed it himself. For a moment, he replayed that first meeting with the blue creature claiming to be a god. . .

"Who – what are you? How did you get in here?!" Vegeta demanded of the short being who stood before them.

"It wasn't easy, let me tell you. Trying to slip in without disturbing the balance of this place was no small feat," the being smiled then patted its round stomach. "I had to squeeze this big belly through quite the little rabbit hole! And this sure ain't Wonderland; Wonderland was sane compared to this crazy place!" he laughed.

"What do you want?" Kakkarot asked, not at all sure what to make of their visitor.

"Well, specifically, I'd like to help you take down Frieza," the being said. "I am King Kai, Guardian of the Northern Quadrant, and it's well past time somebody put that little monster in his place!"

Vegeta and Kakkarot looked at each other then back at King Kai. Their faces said quite clearly they were having trouble believing all of this.

"You're a Kai? A _god_?" Kakkarot said slowly.

"And, what, you're going to fight with us?" Vegeta asked.

"Yes to the first thing, not exactly to the other. We kais don't get directly involved in skirmishes on this plane. What I'm going to do is give you boys some special training and teach you some techniques which should be very helpful," King Kai explained, growing serious.

"Training?" Vegeta echoed, quirking an skeptical eyebrow.

"That's right! Now, normally, you'd have to come to my little planet to earn my training, but since you're not dead and we don't have a lot of time to work with, I'm bending the rules a little, just this once," King Kai said, and Kakkarot could almost sense a conspiratorial wink from behind the sunglasses. "You should be honored!"

"We'll see about that once we know more about these new techniques," Vegeta observed, still obviously uncertain, but willing to listen.

Kakkarot was pulled from his ruminations by Vegeta's voice as the young prince snarled in frustration.

"There's just no good way to stop that many ships, not with the resources we have!" Vegeta said.

"Unfortunately, one thing Frieza was never stupid enough to do was let his enslaved worlds have access to advanced weapons," Bulma said, sweat on her cheeks. "And he tried to kill off any fighters strong enough to challenge his soldiers."

"Maybe if I tell them I'm here, they'll take me to Frieza and leave Earth alone," Vegeta said.

"Knowing Frieza, that may make things worse," Kami observed.

"There has to be a way!" Gero growled. "I -_we_ have come too far for him to stop us now, like this!"

"We'll think of something. We just need to keep our heads," Juunanagou said, placing his hand on Gero's shoulder. The older man gave him an inscrutable look, but seemed to calm down.

"Why didn't I spend more time coming up with weapon blueprints over the years?" Bulma muttered. "Not that I have the time to build anything. . ."

"Wait, couldn't you go into the Room of Spirit and Time? It'd give you a few days, at least; to plan, or build or whatever," Krillin suddenly said.

"I thought about that, but if I'm going to build something, I need materials, and it'll take too long to get them," Bulma shook her head. "Although, having a few more hours to plan wouldn't be a bad thing."

"You can try, but it may be hard to concentrate in there; it's very. . .intense," Vegeta observed, and Krillin gave a small shrug of agreement.

"Look, I think our only real course of action is to split up and try to position ourselves near the ships, and take them out as best we can," Juunanagou said, and they all thought they saw a glint of amusement in his cool blue eyes.

"What other plan can we have? If Bulma can't whip up a planet-wide death ray array in the next ninety minutes, we don't have any other options," Juuhachigou added. She didn't look amused at all.

"There are more ships than there are of us. We can't cover them all," Yamcha shook his head.

"I thought you were willing to die to stop Frieza?" Vegeta asked, glancing at the scarred man coldly.

"I am. . .but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it, or that my home planet is going to be targeted," Yamcha shook his head.

Vegeta gave a noncommittal grunt. He couldn't really blame the Earthling for feeling that way, but it still seemed to go against what the human had declared before.

"The rest of the fleet is gaining speed," Kami suddenly cut in. "They'll catch up to the lead ships soon."

"Lead ships?" Vegeta asked.

"We don't know why, but there are four ships well ahead of the rest of the fleet," Bulma explained quickly.

"Then maybe we have a little luck left, after all. If we destroy those lead ships, it may cause enough confusion and chaos in the remaining fleet to buy us some time," Vegeta said.

"Okay, where should we all go?" Krillin asked.

No one noticed Kami's puzzled look, or heard him mutter that something about the rest of the fleet seemed odd.

"Kami, can you tell where they'll be?" Bulma asked the old Namek-jin. Kami refocused his eyes on the people around him then glanced again at the sky.

"I can give you approximations, general areas only. The first one, I think, will be fairly close to here," he said.

"Then I'll stay here and greet them," Vegeta said, a grim look on his face.

"We can use our communicators to keep in touch, and Kami can guide you as he figures out exactly where those ships will be," Bulma said quickly.

"We don't have-" Kakkarot started.

"Here," Bulma cut him off as she thrust small machines into his and Vegeta's hands. "They go in your ear."

"All right then," Kakkarot answered, and slid the device into his ear.

Once Kami was fairly certain of where the ships were heading, the resistance fighters split up and flew as fast as they could to meet the invaders. Vegeta took up a position a few miles from the Lookout, his eyes fixed on the sky. Kakkarot had chosen to go with Krillin and Yamcha after Vegeta rebuffed his offer to go with him.

It wasn't long before he saw the shadow of the war cruiser dropping into the lower atmosphere. He flew higher to make sure of his shot, when the communicator in his ear suddenly squawked.

Every visual communication device on Earth was suddenly filled with the image of an ugly, purple-mottled alien. He wore the armor of Frieza's soldiers with an insignia on the left of his breastplate showing his high rank. He had dark eyes and no hair, and a wide, cruel smile was plastered across his face. The humans all quelled in sudden surprise and fear, knowing this meant disaster was looming.

"Greetings, people of Earth," said the mocking voice now carried on every frequency. "I am Commander Kui, and I have a message for you all." He paused for a moment to let the ominous words sink in. "Lord Frieza has declared you of no further use to him. All creatures will be eliminated so that your planet can be sold to the highest bidder.. Farewell," the purple alien said with horrible relish.

Vegeta, listening over the radio in his ear, charged up a ki blast strong enough to rip right through the ship within a few seconds – but before he could release it, there was a rain of laser fire. It took the young prince a moment to realize the attack was coming from _behind_ Commander Kui's ship, and that the ship itself was the intended target of the unexpected barrage. It was torn apart before it could fire a single retaliatory shot. He watched in surprise as the smoking pieces of debris fell to the ground below.

"What-?" Vegeta said in shock, just as the other Z-Fighters began reporting in that the other ships had likewise been destroyed. "Who-?"

A new ship dropped further into the atmosphere, close enough that Vegeta could see its massive silhouette properly – and it wasn't alone. Whatever part of his mind hadn't been frozen with shock before promptly seized up; he'd only seen one once before, and these were larger and more heavily armed. . . but their shapes were unmistakable. Ten Moon Flares hovered in the air before him.

"Who are these guys?!" Yamcha's voice suddenly barked over the radio.

"Are they on our side?" Krillin asked quickly and anxiously.

"Saiyans – they're all Saiyans!" Kakkarot said, his voice filled with surprised awe.

"Everyone! Head back to the Lookout!" Vegeta commanded, surprised by how steady his voice sounded in spite of his own surprise.

"Right," they all said, some less certain than others.

Vegeta flared his ki in a steady pattern to signal the lead ship to follow him then also headed back to the Lookout, the lead ship close behind him.

Within minutes of Vegeta's arrival, Kakkarot had returned to the Lookout, Krillin and Yamcha still miles behind him. The Moon Flares hovered all around the Lookout in a staggered formation, but the communicators were silent.

"Wow, I think I just set a new personal best," the younger Saiyan said with a grin. "That training really worked. So, who are they?"

"Not sure; they haven't contacted us yet," Vegeta said just as a door opened on the largest ship, and several figures flew over to the Lookout.

A total of five Saiyans landed before Vegeta, in a pattern of two on each side and one in the middle. The one in the middle struck Vegeta as quite familiar, but he couldn't quite recall his name. He was huge; at least seven feet tall with broad shoulders and built of hard muscle. He was completely bald, with a thin mustache and hard, dark eyes. They all wore armor, though Vegeta and Kakkarot noted it was not quite the same armor Frieza's troops wore.

"I am High General Nappa of the Saiyan fleet," announced the big man. "It's been a long time, Your Highness," he added with a deep bow at the waist and an arm across his chest.

Vegeta was surprised for half a moment as he dimly recalled Nappa from Vegeta-sei. He hadn't thought the general had survived; but then, he had thought the same of his parents. "A very long time, General. But how did you know I was here?"

"An educated guess," Nappa said calmly. "Probably the same one that led Frieza to send those ships."

"Which was?" Vegeta asked, unable to help himself.

"Your song," Nappa said, a faint flicker of something akin to disdain in his eyes. "We did a little research and discovered that Mikusubodo-jins don't have blue hair and only rarely have blue eyes. We then determined that, since the object of your affection almost certainly looked somewhat Saiyan, it could only mean that she was an Earthling. As such, this seemed a likely place for you to lay low and plan."

"Will that song never cease to cause us trouble?" Vegeta growled to himself. He had begun to curse the day he had come up with "Blue Lady".

"When we detected the presence of Frieza's 'clear-out' fleet heading to Earth, we took that as confirmation of our suspicions," Nappa added, as Bulma moved slowly up to stand with Vegeta. Nappa glared pointedly at her for a moment, but didn't speak to her.

"They were just guessing, too," Kakkarot observed. "Unfortunately for us. But why are you-?"

"You have to ask?" Nappa barked at him. "Frieza has captured our king and queen! The time for hiding and planning is over! It's time to take the battle to him, preferably with our prince in the lead!"

"If it's war the little beast wants then it's war he'll get!" declared one of the other Saiyans, a younger male with long hair.

"Wait, you're a Saiyan!" said a female soldier with short hair and pink accents in her armor. She was staring intently at Kakkarot with growing recognition and hope in her eyes. "Who are you?"

"Kakkarot. . .it's a long story," Kakkarot said.

"Kakkarot? Bardock's son?!" the female gasped.

"There will be time for this later, Celipa!" Nappa cut her off.

"Are you certain you want to risk exposing the colonies like this?" Vegeta asked carefully, already sensing the answer.

Nappa shook his head. "The only reason we went undiscovered for so long was because Frieza didn't know we were out there to be found. He knows now, and he'll have half his forces out looking for us so he can kill us. It's only a matter of time. If we're going to die, we're going to die like Saiyans – fighting until the last breath!" he growled fiercely, holding up a clenched fist. "So why not bring the fight to him?"

Vegeta considered Nappa's words for a brief moment before a small smirk graced his lips. The very last thing Frieza would expect was an entire Saiyan army showing up on his doorstep. "Well said, General," he said. "All right, if you're all willing to follow me, then I'll lead you in this war! It's time the Aisu-jins learned to fear the Saiyan race!"

The small group of Saiyans cheered loudly in response and three of them started relaying the message to the ships.

"We have armor for you, Your Highness," one of the soldiers said.

"Excellent," Vegeta said with a nod. "First things first, though – I need to send a message to Frieza to tell him I'm coming," he continued, then smirked again. "I think I may keep the fact I'm not coming alone to myself, however."

"Oh, I'd _pay_ to see the look on Frieza's face when he sees this," Bulma murmured to Chi-Chi, who smothered a giggle and nodded in agreement.

By this time, the rest of the Earth's resistance force had returned to the Lookout, and Kami was filling them in on what they had missed. They were looking at the ships in surprise and approval as they spoke quietly amongst themselves. Dr. Gero led Vegeta to the room where they kept their interstellar communicator so he could send his message as Nappa sent one of the Saiyans to fetch the armor for their prince. Once Vegeta was out of sight, the huge general turned a dark look on Bulma. She quelled for just a moment at the vehemence in his eyes then glared back in challenge.

"Is there a problem?" Bulma asked calmly.

"I just want to make something quite clear," Nappa said as he stalked up to her.

"And what's that?" Bulma asked, hoping her nerves didn't show. Chi-Chi had moved closer to Kakkarot, and they were both watching the confrontation closely.

"However besotted the prince thinks he may be with you, we have no place for human whores in our kingdom. Once he leaves this place, you will never see him again," Nappa snarled as he loomed over Bulma. "Is that understood?"

Bulma jerked in surprise at the insult, and very nearly told Nappa off where he stood. Her rational mind kicked in in time, however, and instead she just said coolly, "That's for Vegeta to decide, isn't it?" She realized her mistake a second after it left her mouth. _All that time with Kele, and I still can't remember!_ she chastised herself.

"How _dare_ you refer to His Highness so informally!" Nappa all but bellowed.

"Sorry, I didn't know he was a prince when we first met and it's become a habit!" Bulma said quickly, raising her hands in a placating gesture.

"You think that's an excuse?!" Nappa said, not placated in the least. The other Saiyans seemed torn between siding with Nappa's righteous fury and understanding Bulma's slip-up.

"Ve - the prince doesn't mind her calling him that," Kakkarot jumped in suddenly in Bulma's defense. "So just stay calm!"

Nappa turned his stare on the younger Saiyan for a moment then made a sound of disgust.

"It doesn't matter. As I said, she'll never see him again," Nappa said coldly. "I'll make sure of it," he added with a final searing look at Bulma.

Bulma glanced over at Kakkarot and Chi-Chi, who both signaled they weren't worried. Bulma smiled slightly in agreement. Nappa could be intimidating, but he had no power to stop Vegeta from taking Bulma with him if he so chose. If anything, Nappa's threats had filled her with an even greater desire to go with Vegeta to his final battle against Frieza. However, Bulma acknowledged to herself, it would probably be best if she wasn't on the same ship as Nappa. Or Vegeta, for that matter, since he had told her he wanted her to stay put. Then she recalled the ship she had already procured for the journey. . .

The message passed quickly amongst the stars, reaching its intended recipient within two days.

"Frieza, I've heard and accept your challenge! I will be arriving on Aisu-sei Prime within the next twelve days. But know this: you will regret ever crossing the Saiyan people! Make no mistake, tyrant, you will pay for what you have done. Death is coming for you!"

"Such bravado, Prince Vegeta!" Frieza chuckled as the message ended. "It's the curse of your species not to know when they're outmatched. So come to me and die, little monkey prince. Your foolish people have plagued me long enough. This time, I will make certain they're wiped out!" he said, and drained his goblet of wine.

He didn't spare a single look for the Saiyan king, whom two of his guards were roughly dragging from the room leaving a blood trail. King Vegeta was so badly beaten he couldn't walk, and his eyes were swollen shut, but he was alive and still conscious. He too had heard his son's declaration, and though part of him was afraid his son was going to be killed, another part of him was fiercely proud of the boy, and he couldn't stop a faint smirk from forming on his bruised and bloodied lips. _You're not all-powerful, Frieza. . .and my son is going to prove it to you. . .I know it!_ he thought as he coughed up some blood. _I hope I'll live long enough to witness it.._

To Be Continued. . .


	13. Chapter 13

The Ways of the Saiyans

by

NansJns

Chapter 13: War

Vegeta dressed in silence, his mind filled with plans for the day. There was only one day left before his fleet reached Aisu-sei Prime, one day left until he rescued his family – assuming they were actually still alive. It would be just like Frieza to have killed them already. The thought made his blood run cold and boil all at the same time.

"Your Highness. . .?" a voice said through his door, interrupting his thoughts.

"For the last time, I don't need help dressing," Vegeta barked harshly. The first time he had tried on the armor, two attendants had assisted him, showing him how it differed from Frieza's standard armor. He had appreciated it at the time, but it seemed it was common practice for attendants to "help" the royal family dress, because they came back every morning. Vegeta had been dressing himself for years, however, and didn't care for help he didn't need.

"We know, Your Highness," the voice added hastily. "We just wanted to let you know that your breakfast is ready."

"Very well, I'll be out in a moment," Vegeta said as he pulled on his boots. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Prince Vegeta," the voice replied, sounding slightly surprised. His attendants always seemed at a bit of a loss whenever he was polite to them; he had the distinct feeling that the royal family was usually rather unconcerned with acknowledging their servants' efforts. The Munotes, however, had drilled good manners into him since he was small, emphasizing that everyone deserved courtesy. Not for the first time, Vegeta pondered how different he'd be if he'd been raised amongst Saiyans.

Once he was fully dressed, Vegeta looked at his reflection for a few moments without speaking. He suddenly wondered what the Munotes would think when they saw him dressed this way. The armor felt comfortable, felt right against his skin, in a way nothing he'd worn on Mikusubodo ever had; but he still felt a tiny pang of sadness knowing that those days were truly gone forever. Durama and Harpena, he was sure, would be happy and proud of him finally retaking his rightful place among the Saiyans. Sasu and Fululy would be, too; Tammibo, though. . .he could already see her crying at the loss of her "big brother Geta." He'd pondered frequently while in the Room of Spirit and Time about what would happen once everything was settled. He doubted the Munotes would feel welcome in the Saiyan colonies, or that they'd be happy there if they were welcomed, but he was determined that he would not sever his ties to them. They had done too much for him over the years; they were as much his family as his birth parents. As he looked at his reflection, for a fraction of a second he could almost see all of his family around him.

_ At least Bulma is safe on Earth, _he thought to himself.

He was all too aware of Nappa's assertion that he, Vegeta, should forget all about Bulma and leave her there on her home world for good, and he gave it the same consideration and respect he gave Kele's similar attitude – which was to say, none at all. Still, how would he get the Saiyans to accept Bulma as their queen? If they would have a hard time accepting the Munotes into their midst, they would outright rebel at having an alien for their queen.

Vegeta grunted in annoyance and shook his head; he would figure all of this out later – right now, he had to focus on the rapidly approaching battle with Frieza. He allowed himself to wonder what Kakkarot was up to as he went to get breakfast – once they had joined the armada, the younger Saiyan had been mustered off to a ship manned by third-class soldiers "where he belonged." It seemed they both had a lot to get used to.

Kakkarot had always known that Saiyans had a rigid class system; his parents had taught him and his brother all about it. The only reason any of them had ever been able to speak to the prince was because of their bizarre circumstances. As the only other Saiyans on Mikusubodo, they'd had a duty to keep an eye on the prince and to aid in his education on all things related to Vegeta-sei, and Vegeta had been so happy to have other Saiyans around, he had paid little attention to their class. The end result was that although Kakkarot knew he was technically a third-class Saiyan, he had never really thought about it or what it meant. He was getting a hard education in it now, though. It started the moment he tried to follow Vegeta onto one of the Moon Flares after saying goodbye to Chi-Chi.

High General Nappa had stopped him, giving Kakkarot a cold look. "What class are you?" the general had demanded.

"Huh? Uh, third-class, I guess. Why?" Kakkarot had answered honestly, with no small amount of puzzlement.

"Then you go with Celipa to the third-class ship," Nappa had scowled. "The Royal Strike Ship isn't for low-class trash."

"What?!" Kakkarot sputtered. "I'm Ve-the prince's friend! And I'm as strong as he is!"

"Yeah, right," one of the other Saiyans who had come to collect Vegeta had chortled rudely. He was an older man with short cropped hair and an ugly scar on his chin. He was standing behind a younger man with dark brown hair in a ponytail that was tied in three evenly spaced places who had a skeptical, but not unkind, expression. Vegeta himself was already at one ship's airlock and was looking back down at Kami's Lookout, no doubt wondering what they were doing.

"Don't argue with them. Just come with me," Celipa had said quietly while pulling on his arm. Kakkarot had struggled for a moment then finally relented. Now wasn't the time to pick fights.

"If third-classes aren't supposed to be on that ship, what were you doing there?" he had muttered to the older female Saiyan as they flew to a different ship.

"I was chosen to represent the third-class for the honor guard; it's an old tradition. When a royal returns from a long journey, he or she is to be greeted by an honor guard composed of members of each class to show that _all_ Saiyans welcome him or her back," Celipa explained. "High General Nappa represents the Super-Elite. Commander Yon, the young warrior who was standing on Nappa's right, is a member of the Elite. The man who laughed at you, Lt. Kelp, is First-Class. The second class was represented by Lt. Saweeto." As Celipa spoke, she had motioned to the insignia on her armor. It was the crest of Vegeta-sei, but slightly altered, thinned out and rounded, and instead of royal red, it was a deep blue. Kakkarot learned a bit later that that was the symbol for the third-class soldiers. "Now, please, answer my earlier question – you are Bardock's younger son, aren't you?"

"Yes. Did you know my dad?" Kakkarot had asked, and Celipa had smiled.

"He was the leader of my squadron! Is he still alive?" she'd asked.

"I. . .I don't know. . ."

"Hey, kid, focus," a voice suddenly stirred Kakkarot from his contemplations. He looked up at the Saiyan sitting across from him.

"Sorry, Toma, just thinking," Kakkarot shrugged.

"About the class system again? Look, it sucks, no question, but it's the least of your worries right now," Toma said. "If there's any chance Bardock, Okarana, and Raditz are alive, then we need to find a way to get to them during the battle. The higher classes aren't going to care about a third-class family."

"I know, that's been made very clear to me," Kakkarot said with an edge to his voice, stabbing at his food with more force than was necessary.

"I still don't understand why we're letting those humans tag along," Celipa observed. Several of the Z-Fighters had chosen to go with the Saiyan armada on the ship Bulma had procured, wanting a chance at revenge for Frieza nearly destroying their world. High General Nappa had started to tell them not to bother, but Vegeta had overridden him, saying that if the humans wished to fight, then they should have the chance. It cost the Saiyans nothing to have a few more fighters on their side.

"Hey, every little bit helps. Even if all they're good for is a distraction at the right moment, it'll help. And at least they're on their own ship," Toma said with a wave of his hand.

"_Don't_ underestimate the usefulness of the humans," Kakkarot said. "They're more resourceful and powerful than you think."

"Hey, nothing surprises me anymore," Toma said with a grin. "Now, back to our plan. . ."

Kakkarot listened and offered his advice, but inwardly, he doubted the plan would really be necessary. He knew Vegeta wouldn't deny him the right to seek out his family, no matter what the old traditions might dictate.

_But,_ he thought to himself, _it never hurts to have a Plan B, right?_

There had been very little communication between the human ship and the Saiyan fleet since their departure from Earth. The humans had all but given up trying to raise any of the Moon Flares on the communicator, as nearly all of their attempts thus far had been ignored. Kakkarot had contacted them a couple of times, but he wasn't any more in the loop than the Z-Fighters were. As such, they began formulating their own plans for what to do when they reached Aisu-sei Prime and hoped for the best.

"We probably won't get a shot at Frieza himself, but we can sure do our best to do his army a world of hurt," Krillin observed as they discussed their plans again.

"As long as the Saiyans don't get in our way," Juunanagou said coolly as he fiddled with something in his pocket.

"Or we don't get in theirs," Juuhachigou said, offering Krillin a small smile. He was the only one she'd smile for.

"I think there will be plenty for everyone," Yamcha said. "Just remember, regular hand-to-hand is probably not the best choice. Ki strikes from a distance are best."

"For you, maybe," Juunanagou smirked.

"Not all of us are cybernetically-enhanced, kid," Yamcha answered. "Anyway, you can't even throw ki strikes."

"No arguing amongst ourselves!" Bulma cut in before they could get into it; she could see from their faces they were itching for a fight. "That's the last thing we need!"

"She's right, save your energy for Frieza and his soldiers," Piccolo said.

Bulma nodded at him in gratitude for his support. "Now, as we were saying – the Saiyan army will be drawing all of the attention, which leaves us with the opportunity and ability to be sneaky bastards; we can strike their armories and defenses while they're all looking the other way."

"Kami knows, we've had plenty of practice doing stuff like that over the last several years," Tienshinhan nodded. "They'll never know what hit them."

"Have you figured out what's wrong with the long-distance radar yet?" Zarbon asked the two mechanics who were putting the radar back together.

"Every diagnostic we've run has found nothing, sir," said the shorter of the two. "We're forced to conclude that the radar is fine, but something is jamming it."

"Jamming it?" Zarbon said.

"Yes, sir," said the taller of the two techs.

"Hm, the only person we're expecting is little Prince Vegeta, who already announced his coming; why would he waste time trying to hide his arrival? Does he think he can get the drop on us?" Zarbon mused aloud to himself. Then he smirked. "How ridiculous."

The next day, Frieza stood in the middle of his palace's courtyard, smiling cruelly up at the sky. He relished the knowledge of his coming vengeance; no one had ever dared defy him like this before, and he was going to make sure no one else ever did again. His palace was similar to most of the buildings in his empire, a combination of domes and rounded towers in shades of white, gray, and pale pink. It was huge, of course, with gold filigree and decorations made with voanium and other precious stones and minerals from across the galaxy. It sat a few miles from the capital city, a sprawling metropolis and military base in one. The Ginyu Force stood nearby as an honor guard with Zarbon as Frieza lifted a small, hand-held communicator to his mouth.

"Prince Vegeta, I know you're up there somewhere. Today is the day you are supposed to arrive; don't think you can surprise me by jamming our radar scans. Do you want to see your family or not?" Frieza said, broadcasting onto all channels, and chuckled.

Several minutes later a small ship came out of the sky and landed a short distance from Frieza. The tiny tyrant's smile grew broader as Vegeta disembarked. Frieza didn't know it, but the whole situation was being watched on several monitors on every Moon Flare waiting just outside of orbit. Kakkarot had pushed his way to the front of a crowd to be sure he could see.

Vegeta walked forward stoically, no fear or anger showing on his face. Frieza was still smiling, clearly delighted to have the game of cat-and-mouse over with.

"Where is my family? You said I'd see them," Vegeta said lowly, radiating cool calm.

"My, how soft of you," Frieza said, equally calm. He snapped his fingers, and a platform rose up ten feet behind them. On it, all of Vegeta's family and Kakkarot's stood chained. They were badly beaten, but alive. "There they are," Frieza said as the prisoners tried to call out to Vegeta. The sudden, wicked smile on his lips was the only warning he gave before firing a ki shot that killed everyone on the platform. "And there they go!" The tiny tyrant began to laugh maliciously while Vegeta ‒ and Kakkarot up on his ship ‒ stared then gasped in horror at what he had done.

"ATTACK!" Vegeta suddenly screamed, causing Frieza's laughter to hesitate for a second. And then hell rained down from the sky. Vegeta launched himself at Frieza as laser fire and Saiyan warriors descended like a torrent from above the planet. How Kakkarot came to be in the fight mere moments later Vegeta was never sure, but he didn't care much. He also didn't notice how his and Kakkarot's kis were starting to crackle gold. As the rage broke over him in increasing waves and his strength began to swell to heights he had never imagined before, in his mind's ear, from somewhere far away, he thought he could hear a bell chiming.

"Think-you're-clever?" Frieza asked as he dodged and deflected blows. "All you've done is make it easier for me to wipe your filthy race from existence!"

Neither Vegeta nor Kakkarot wasted any breath in responding. Instead they redoubled their efforts; punches and kicks flying so fast that their limbs were past blurs and into barely visible flickers of movement. Zarbon transformed into his more powerful – and more hideous – form and attempted to leap to his lord's aid, only to be swatted aside by Vegeta like a fly. All of the Ginyu were locked in battle with several Saiyan Elites. Frieza's grin faltered at last as several blows connected. He could see his soldiers locked in combat with Saiyans everywhere, and his capital city was burning from the laser fire raining upon it. And it didn't take a genius to know the Saiyans weren't just here, they were probably striking at strategic targets all over the planet. Even that thought, however, didn't disturb him as much as what was happening to the two he was fighting. Their auras and their hair were flashing gold, and their eyes were flickering turquoise. Frieza scowled and spiked his ki upward so hard that Vegeta and Kakkarot were blown back.

"You little beasts! How dare you do this to my city and world! You will learn your place!" Frieza bellowed, and began to transform. Vegeta and Kakkarot flew at him a second time, but his ki blew them back again. "You miserable little monkeys! Everything you know, everything you love, will die!" Frieza snarled then blinked in surprise when Vegeta leaped to the platform where his families' bodies were. Kakkarot continued to seethe where he crouched, planning another strike. He was muttering heatedly to himself, cursing Frieza for a monster. Frieza's last words were burning through his mind, making him think of Chi-Chi and their unborn child.

Vegeta had heard a groan; his father, King Vegeta, was still alive. He knelt beside him as the king gave him a weak, blood-stained smile, and with trembling hands, pushed the royal amulet into Vegeta's hands. Vegeta took it and nodded as his birth father's body went limp. Rising, he took a step back, and stepped on something that crunched under his heel – Tammibo's favorite hair clip, the one with a sliver of voanium in it. Whatever thread of self-control Vegeta still had finally snapped, and he was engulfed in a blazing golden ki as he screamed in rage. Kakkarot followed less than a second later.

Frieza also screamed as he forced himself to go straight into his final, most powerful form. It was not a comfortable transformation, but he had no patience and no wish to play with his prey. He didn't know for sure what had just happened to the two Saiyans, but it wouldn't matter once he was in this form – both of them would die, as would all of their soldiers. He wished suddenly he hadn't chosen his home world as the place to lure Prince Vegeta; if only he had chosen some other, lesser world, he could just drop a Death Ball and be rid of all of them at once.

Much of the other fighting had stalled for a moment as the other Saiyans and their opponents stared at the prince and the third-class soldier. The two warriors were surrounded by auras of blazing gold, their hair was standing straight up and had become a white-gold color, and their eyes were a bright turquoise. There could be little doubt as to what had happened, but still they were confused by the fact that a mere third-class had achieved what should only have been possible for the prince. All except Kele, who was standing nearby.

"The Golden Fire. . .The Blessed of Siidaringu," the old Saiyan breathed in shock. "But can either of you control it? Did you figure out what else was needed?"

Vegeta looked at Frieza's new, sleeker form, and wasn't impressed. It was slightly taller than Frieza's old one, his horns and bony ridges were gone, his tail was longer and more powerful-looking, and he was almost entirely white save for a purple crystalline shield on his chest and a smooth, purple cap on his skull. It hardly seemed frightening. There was no room left in Vegeta's heart for fear or doubt; all that was left was rage. From the look of Kakkarot's face, he also felt the same way. Frieza no longer seemed the insurmountable evil he had always appeared to be, though his power was still great. The urge to see the little lizard crushed beneath his heel was overwhelming, but at the same time, his desire for revenge was tinged with the desire to protect what he had left. Bulma's smiling face flashed through his mind, and the tumult in his soul steadied a bit. He squeezed the royal amulet in his hand until it nearly bent, before tucking it away in a pocket

.

"If you think some cheap light trick is going to intimidate me, little Vegeta, you're wrong," Frieza said with a scowl as the fighting around them resumed. "I don't believe in that silly legend of yours, the Super Saiyan, wasn't it?"

"No?" Vegeta said with a tilt of his head. "It's high time you started to believe, you bastard!"

"You're not hurting anyone else, Frieza! Not ever again!" Kakkarot snarled, and the battle resumed.

The sheer force of their blows caused the ground and buildings around them to rumble and crack. To Frieza's utter disbelief, the two Saiyans could not only keep up with him, they were actually faster than he was. He was only vaguely aware of the sound of Zarbon first transforming again, then being killed by High General Nappa. The Ginyu Force was going down one at a time; and all over the place, his soldiers were falling. There were injuries and casualties among the Saiyans too, but not as many. How could this be?! Saiyans were strong, but not this strong! With one fast move, he managed to wrap his long white tail around Vegeta's neck and slam the prince into the ground, leaving a crater, while simultaneously firing a ki shot right at Kakkarot. Both Saiyans staggered for only a moment then attacked him again.

The Z-Fighter's plan was working very well. The vast majority of Frieza's forces were so focused on the Saiyan army that they never even noticed the humans amongst them. Several soldiers and defensive positions fell to the overlooked warriors and none of them expected gunfire. Bulma tore through the battle with furious tears burning in her blue eyes. The Z-Fighters had been watching on their screen as well before the battle began. She had never gotten to know Vegeta's birth parents, but the Munotes had always been kind and welcoming to her, and the thought of telling Chi-Chi, who had stayed on Earth only because she was pregnant, what had happened to them and to Kakkarot's family made her heart ache even more. She was some distance from the primary battle now and couldn't see anything over there clearly, but as she glanced over for a moment, she saw the twin flares of gold. She blinked for a few moments, her mind trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Then a phrase came back to her:

"'His power became like a star. . .a golden flame'. . .Vegeta!" Bulma said, her heart pounding with fear and hope. Then her attention was pulled back to her own fight as she heard more enemy soldiers nearby. She cocked her large rifle and got ready to start sniping again. She barely spared a thought for the fact that the number of shots coming from orbit had dwindled noticeably.

Up in space, there was little time to think about what was happening below anymore. A fleet of Frieza's warships had begun directly attacking the Moon Flares, drawing their attention away from their attacks on the surface. The ships dodged and darted around each other, trading laser fire every few seconds. Much like the soldiers on the ground, Frieza's ships were taken by surprise by how powerful and nimble the Saiyan ships were. They moved with greater speed and had greater firepower than the soldiers in Frieza's ships had ever expected, and it was giving the Saiyans the edge – for the moment, at least.

"All right, they're better than we thought – now it's time to show them what Frieza's chosen can do!" snarled one green-haired captain who was the same race as Zarbon. "Attack Formation J!" The command was relayed to the other ships, and they fell into the attack formation smoothly. Now using a proper, organized form of attack, the scales tipped in their favor, as Moon Flares were blasted out of the sky.

"Keep your heads, people!" Commander Yon barked at his crew as their ship was rocked by a near-miss. "We need to form a counter-strike! Attack Pattern Beta!" The command was relayed, and the Moon Flares responded with their own new pattern of attack.

Larger chunks of the destroyed ships struck the ground below, with the smaller bits burning in the atmosphere, giving the already hellish battle grounds an even greater level of horror and danger. Frieza and the two Super Saiyans remained locked in combat, heedless of all else around them. Their struggle sent them across the landscape in a blur of movement, sometimes crashing through buildings and other fighters. For the first time in his memory, Frieza couldn't get the upper hand. While he was managing to land bone-crunching blows on them, the two golden-haired fighters just kept coming back, and returning blow for blow. He couldn't remember ever feeling such pain, and it made him angrier than he'd ever been. As they smashed through a group of battling warriors, Frieza got some distance between himself and the enraged duo and began throwing ki balls at them in rapid succession. Vegeta and Kakkarot dodged the majority of them, but a few hit home and drove them back. Frieza laughed and fired even faster, ignoring the fact that several of his own soldiers and some innocent bystanders were being hit as well. The whole area was full of smoke within seconds.

"You see what happens when you cross Frieza?!" Frieza bellowed when he finally stopped attacking for a moment. Dark lavender blood trickled from his lips and one eye was swelling shut. His pale, smooth body was covered in deepening bruises and oozing gashes. In truth, when he moved, he could feel bone grinding against bone and could almost hear something crunching inside him, but he was still able to stand. He had won. Now it was just a matter of wiping out the rest of the monkeys. . .

"Yeah, we see," a deep voice suddenly cut across Frieza's thoughts, and a jolt of pure panic struck his heart. The smoke was cleared with a sudden wave of golden power, and the two Super Saiyans stood glaring at him, injured, their clothes and armor damaged, but obviously still very much alive and able to fight. "You've been killing your own people, did you realize that?" Kakkarot asked lowly.

"Why would you care?" Frieza spat. "You're the ones who brought an army down on their heads!"

"And you're the one who decided to imprison and torture my family here," Vegeta countered. "And I told my army to try to avoid civilians and aim for the soldiers."

"You're even softer than I thought; since when do Saiyans worry about such things?" Frieza said with a mirthless laugh.

"You're the one who forced us to _stop_ caring about such things," Vegeta answered, his aura flaring brighter. "Who knows what our people would have been like if it wasn't for you?"

Frieza spat some blood onto the ground. "Such self-righteousness," the tiny tyrant sneered, "as if your people have ever been anything but bloodthirsty barbarians."

His words caused them to suddenly think of Kele and his ship full of artifacts, all of the lost art and history and gods. The Saiyans had been much more than barbarians for a time, even as they relished a physical challenge. Without wasting anymore words, they attacked again.

Frieza quickly raised his hand and created a large, flat disc of ki energy. "DIE, YOU MISERABLE MONKEYS!" he roared as he flung the disc. The two Saiyans dodged the attack, but Frieza merely smirked, and directed the attack to follow them, splitting the energy disc in two as it went. What followed was a deadly ballet as Kakkarot and Vegeta attempted to avoid the discs and each other, which was made all the more complicated when some of Frieza's soldiers started firing ki at them from the ground. Kakkarot was surprised to see Frieza using a technique so similar to one that Krillin had created, but he had no time to dwell on it. Kakkarot took a fast dive at Frieza while one disc was hot on his tail, jerking up at the last moment, but Frieza just laughed and redirected the disc. "Do you really think I'll fall for that old trick?" he mocked.

"Lord Frieza!" Captain Ginyu said as he landed by his lord. His armor was cracked and he was bleeding from various places on his body, but he was otherwise intact. Blood that was obviously not his was spattered all over his armor and hands.

"Make it quick, Captain, I'm a little busy here!" Frieza said as he nearly managed to cut Vegeta with one of the discs.

"Zarbon and the rest of my squad are dead. The Saiyans are beating back most of our ground troops; we haven't gotten an update from the ships in orbit, but we had the upper hand the last time they checked in," Ginyu said quickly, hatred, fear, and anger smoldering in his eyes. "There's reports of wide-spread destruction of every military base across the world; there's no telling yet how much we've lost."

Frieza scowled deeply. "Well, you know what they say, Captain Ginyu – to kill a snake, cut off the head!" he snarled as he doubled the discs again and increased their speed.

"Please, Lord Frieza, allow me!" Ginyu said sharply and flew straight at Vegeta.

"Come back, you fool!" Frieza yelled after him. "He's mine!"

Ginyu either didn't hear, or just wasn't listening in his desire for payback. Much like Frieza, the Ginyu Force had never truly been beaten in combat before, or even really challenged. Guldo had managed to score some kills with his ability to freeze time, but when he had stopped to take a breath (his unique ability only worked when he held his breath), a Saiyan managed to strike him down from behind. Jeice and Burter had been doing very well until two Saiyans somehow created a net of ki energy between them that the two Ginyu had flown straight through before they realized it was there. Recoom had been plowing through his enemies until three of them teamed up on him; Ginyu still wasn't sure what had happened to the giant, as his own attention had been focused on his own opponents. He only knew that when he looked back, Recoom was on the ground dead. Finding new members for his elite squad was going to be a pain at best; where would he find people strong enough who could also pose well? Frankly, the thought of killing a few more Saiyans cheered him up.

Vegeta and Kakkarot were still avoiding the ki discs and random shots from the soldiers down below, but they were fully aware of Captain Ginyu's approach.

"This could get ugly," Kakkarot observed.

"Maybe not," Vegeta said, and Kakkarot knew immediately what he had in mind.

Ginyu roared a challenge as he reached them, swinging a wide punch at Vegeta. Vegeta dodged easily and drove his fist into Ginyu's gut, causing the large purple-skinned alien to double over. Vegeta promptly slammed his knee into Ginyu's chin, making Ginyu's head snap back. He finished with a kick that sent the captain flying at Kakkarot. Ginyu managed to right himself before he reached the second Super Saiyan, and threw several kicks and punches at him, none of which connected. Then Kakkarot smirked and moved away so quickly that for a moment an image of him was still there. Ginyu was confused for a fraction of a second – which gave the ki disc that Kakkarot had just eluded time to reach him. Ginyu moved, but not quite quickly enough; his left arm was severed and a deep cut opened on his left leg. He swore loudly in the languages of his people and Frieza's, and, incredibly, lunged toward the Saiyans again, though now with a new plan in mind.

"I guess it's time for an upgrade; who would've thought it'd be to a Saiyan?" Ginyu growled as he prepared himself for the "soul-transfer" technique. His scouter had been destroyed shortly after the battle started, so he wasn't sure which one was stronger; he'd have to guess. Gathering his energy, he focused in on the prince, but just as he was about to initiate the change, Vegeta and Kakkarot both swooped past him at high speed, followed closely by Frieza's discs. Frieza, it seemed, had decided that Ginyu was a lost cause, and made no effort to stop the discs from cutting through him as they pursued Vegeta and Kakkarot. Ginyu's severed remains fell to the ground below with a small rain of blood.

"Take a good look, little monkeys! That will be you soon enough!" Frieza taunted, and began to laugh. His laughter was abruptly cut short, however, by three Saiyans wearing Elite insignia on their armor jumping him from out of the smoke that surrounded him. The three ki strikes were so unexpected that Frieza's concentration broke and his own ki attacks disappeared at last. Frieza turned on his new attackers with an enraged snarl and fired a ki bolt right through one's chest. He struck another with his long tail, smashing the man's head into the ground with dreadful force. Before he could kill his third attacker, he heard two voices bellowing over the din of battle:

"BIG BANG ATTACK!"

"KA-ME-HA-ME-HA!"

Frieza snapped his head around to see two massive ki attacks blazing toward him. He leaped up into the air to get out the way and charged the two Super Saiyans while the remaining normal Saiyan warrior wisely used the time to escape back into the surrounding chaos. The two attacks created a massive crater in the ground and sent dust and debris flying into the air, making the damage done by the falling ship pieces seem much smaller in comparison. Frieza, Vegeta, and Kakkarot became locked in hand-to-hand combat again, but this time, Frieza had more of a plan. With a lightning-fast move, he grabbed Vegeta around the neck with his tail again, but instead of throwing him, he tightened his grip so Vegeta couldn't breathe. He kept Kakkarot busy with punches and kicks so fast they couldn't be seen. He smirked as he felt Vegeta's struggles growing weaker as the Saiyan prince ran out of air. It was immensely satisfying to finish his adversary in such an ignoble way.

He began to cackle triumphantly again, once more assured of his victory as he landed a punch on Kakkarot that sent the younger Saiyan flying for a moment. Then Frieza felt an immense pain as Vegeta fired a ki shot straight through his tail, cutting it cleanly from Frieza's body. Frieza screamed before he could stop himself, and staggered in the air as the pain clamped down on his mind; it took a few seconds for him to realize he was caught between the two Saiyans, and those few seconds were all they needed. Vegeta fired a beam of ki through Frieza's back just as Kakkarot fired one through Frieza's chest, the beams nearly cutting him in half, and he only managed to scream for a moment before his voice was cut off forever. They both followed with a wider, hotter ki beam that incinerated much of what was left of Frieza into ash. The little that remained of his body fell to the ground and all of the combatants around them stopped to stare.

Vegeta looked around at the people below him. Spaceship debris was still raining all around them from above and bodies lay everywhere. The surrounding city was all but destroyed. Pain burned through much of Vegeta's body and he could feel he was bleeding, but his power still blazed and his eyes and mind were still focused and clear. He looked at his soldiers and at Frieza's remaining troops then took in a deep breath.

"FRIEZA IS DEAD!" he bellowed loud enough to be heard for some distance. "IF YOU SURRENDER NOW, YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO LIVE! CONTINUE TO FIGHT, AND JOIN YOUR MASTER IN HELL!"

The Saiyans cheered loudly and Frieza's soldiers seemed unsure of what to do next. They began rapidly relaying what was happening to all the rest of the soldiers and ships via radio, and a great deal of rapid talking commenced:

"Frieza and his highest ranking soldiers are dead-?!"

"Surrender would seem to be the wisest choice-"

"Filthy, backstabbing cowards, how dare you even suggest-!"

"We're being overrun!"

"Aren't you all forgetting something, or rather, _someone_?"

"It's _over_! Frieza is gone, half our fleet is destroyed, there's no telling how many warriors we have left-"

"I vote we surrender; maybe the Saiyans need soldiers-"

"Traitors-!"

"What did Frieza ever do to earn our loyalty-?"

"I'll kill the next coward who speaks myself!"

"I'm waiting for an answer!" Vegeta snapped.

"We won," Kakkarot murmured quietly beside him, breathing a bit heavily. "What will we do now?"

"We'll tend to the wounded. See how many are left. Get our women, go to the colonies. I never want to see this world again," Vegeta answered quietly beside him. "I doubt anyone here will try to fight us again."

Down below, he could see some of Frieza's soldiers starting to put down their weapons and raise their hands. He didn't doubt that some would keep fighting, but if they wished to die, that was their choice. He knew that most of Frieza's followers had been forcibly conscripted from the worlds he had conquered and those had very little true loyalty to him. All that was left was to mop up. Vegeta shivered slightly at the thought of collecting the bodies of his family so they could all be given proper funerals at the Saiyan colonies. Kakkarot's family, too. He didn't allow the thought that the bodies could have been destroyed in the fighting to enter his mind.

Somewhere in the distance, a PA system suddenly crackled to life. Everyone, Saiyan and not, turned in surprise at the sound. A noise suddenly blared across the landscape from several still-intact speakers that was somewhere between an alarm and a fanfare. The surrendering soldiers suddenly went back for their arms with a look of panic.

"What the hell is that?!" Vegeta asked in surprise.

"I don't know, but it sure means something important, they've all started fighting again!" Kakkarot said.

"What the hell was that noise?" Bulma asked as she looked at the speaker in the bunker the humans had just taken.

"I'm not sure, but I'm betting it's not good!" Krillin said.

"We need to get some senzu beans to Vegeta and Kakkarot," Bulma said, her heart beating faster. "I have a very bad feeling about this!"

"So what if there are two more ships heading this way? What difference does it make?" Commander Yon asked. "We've beaten the bulk of their fleet already."

"I don't think these are battleships, sir – they're too huge," the Saiyan at the radar said.

"Even less reason to be worried," Commander Yon shrugged, then suddenly had another thought and turned toward the view screen, "unless. . ."

"Oh, _shit_!" the helmsman swore loudly as he got a clear picture of the arriving vessels. "It's King Kold and Coola's personal ships!"

"Someone must have sent them a distress signal!" a second helmsman said.

"Or Frieza thought he'd welcome them home from a journey with Prince Vegeta's corpse as a trophy," said the woman at the weapons controls.

"Either way, this isn't over yet," Commander Yon shook his head. "We were so focused on Frieza, we didn't even think about them! Stupid! Send word to the Prince! How much time do we have?"

"Almost none, sir; they're approaching at top speed!" the first helmsman said.

"Damn! Raise shields! Prepare for attack!" Commander Yon barked.

"You see, Father? Didn't I tell you Frieza couldn't be trusted to look after our home world? Just look what he's done to it!" Coola said to King Kold over the communications screen on Kold's ship.

King Kold was scowling deeply, his tail lashing behind him in fury. "The nerve of these Saiyans, attacking our world; why hasn't Frieza gotten rid of them yet?" he growled. "The boy will have to be punished for such carelessness!"

"S-Sire?" the green-skinned alien at the communications station said quietly.

"What is it?" King Kold snapped. The alien swallowed nervously.

"We-we just received word that. . .that Lord Frieza was just killed in battle," he said.

"WHAT?! _Saiyans_ _killed my son_?!" King Kold screamed, his tail smashing on the floor behind him, sending broken shards flying everywhere. "They will pay for this!"

"Their suffering will be legendary!" Coola agreed. In truth, he held no great love for his younger brother, but such an insult to their family could not be ignored. Besides, he so rarely got to use his most powerful form; and anyone who could take out Frieza would certainly be worth using it for.

Coola smirked to himself for a moment; this could be fun.

To Be Concluded. . .

* * *

Yeah, in true Dragonball style, the fight's not quite over yet! But the end is in sight!

For those of you who may be wondering, yes, that is the same Yon who is in my fanfic "Past the Pain" ‒ in this reality, obviously, he spoiler alert for PtP didn't die in childhood, and he and Vegeta weren't childhood BFFs. That doesn't mean they can't become friends now, of course.

Also for those who might be wondering, the class insignia work like this: you all know the royal insignia, which is also the insignia worn by the Super-Elites in general (since nearly all Super-Elites are royal anyway). The Elite insignia is basically the same, but a darker shade of red. The first-class insignia is slightly thinner and has blunter edges, and is a purplish color. The second-class insignia is purple, slightly rounded, and a bit thinner than the first class. And as was stated, third-class is thin, rounded, and blue.

Yon=a play on onion.

Kelp=pretty obvious, isn't it?

Saweeto=a play on sweet, as in sweet potato.


End file.
